ADULT
SABBATH
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BIBLE STUDY GUIDE
JULY AUG SEPT 2002
Tebettion
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Teformation:
A History of the Divided Monarchy
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Copyright 0 2002 by the Office of the Adult Bible Study Guide, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 12501 Old Columbia Pike,
Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600, USA.
Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide (ISSN 1096-7400)/No. 429/July-September 2002.
Contents
1.
Rough Start
(June 29—July 5)
6
2.
The Wisdom of Solomon
(July 6-12)
14
3.
The Rise and the Fall of the House of Solomon
(July 13-19)
22
4.
The Rending of God's Nation
(July 20-26)
30
5.
The Rise of the House of Asa
(July 27—August 2)
38
6.
Apostasy in the North
(August 3-9)
46
7.
The Good and the Bad Days of King Jehoshaphat in Judah
(August 10-16)
56
8.
Judah: From Jehoram to Joash
(August 17-23)
64
9.
The Rule of Hezekiah in Judah
(August 24-30)
72
10.
Meanwhile ... Back in the North
(August 31—September 6)
80
11.
The Last Days of the Northern Kingdom
(September 7-13)
88
12.
Manasseh and the Early Days of Josiah
(September 14-20)
96
13.
The Curtain Falls on the Southern Kingdom
(September 21-27)
104
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)ITOR'S OFERI1Elf
The Bigger Picture
T
he vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning
Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and
Hezekiah, kings of Judah" (Isa. 1:1); " . .. which he saw concerning
Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the
son of Joash king of Israel" (Amos 1:1). "The word of the Lord . . . in the
days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah" (Mic. 1:1).
Notice how each of these first verses begins a book in the Hebrew
Bible:
In the days of Uzziah, in the days of Hezekiah, in the days of Ahaz.
They begin with a political context. That is because the political context
cannot be separated from the social one, and the social context cannot be
separated from the spiritual context—and the writings of these prophets
are nothing if not spiritual. Thus, in their own way, the opening verses of
these books—by establishing the political background—help establish a
spiritual background, as well, one that helps us understand the
Sitz im
Leben
(life situation) in which the prophets wrote.
Kings and Chronicles, our study for this quarter, does the same
thing, only on a grander scale. These books present a framework
upon which we can put the prophets in their particular historical and
political contexts. Whereas, for example, Micah begins in "the days
of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah," Kings and Chronicles
establish the background and time line in which these kings ruled.
What about the kingship of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (much less
Jeroboam, Jehoram, Athaliah, and Josiah)? Who reigned before them,
who reigned after them, what was happening in the nations around
them, and how did that impact Israel and Judah? Though some of
these questions are answered by the prophets themselves, Kings and
Chronicles move us back so we can view the situation from a larger,
grander perspective, that of the entire flow of the history of Israel and
Judah. In short, the books give us the bigger picture.
Imagine a war and suppose that Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, and Micah
write about this war from the battleground itself, as shells explode over-
head and bullets whizz past their ears. In contrast, Kings and Chronicles
read more like a historian's view, as though someone stepped back,
possibly even, in some cases, after the events, and put together various
accounts not just of individual battles but of the whole war. Thus, we are
given radically different—but divine—perspectives: some "up close"
(from the prophets), others "farther away" (from Chronicles and Kings).
Even better, sometimes Kings and Chronicles present the same material
with different twists, as well (like the Gospels, perhaps).
Of course, Kings and Chronicles are not just history. They contain
important spiritual lessons in and of themselves; many principles of
truth, of faith, and of salvation can be gleaned from their pages, just
as they can from the prophets. How much you derive from them, of
course, depends on how willing you are—through study, prayer, and
faith—to squeeze out what is there.
Don't worry; plenty remains to be squeezed out—and then some.
2
INTRODUCTIC
Kings and Chronicles
T
his quarter's Bible Study Guide covers Kings and Chronicles,
at least partly. A lot of material (such as the entire book of
1 Chronicles itself) is left out. But when there is only one
quarter to cover almost four hundred years of sacred history
(from about 961
B.C.
to 586 B.c.), much is left out. There is no other
choice.
This lesson starts with, basically, the first verses of 1 Kings,
which deals with the last days of King David; it ends, basically, with
the last verses in the last chapter of 2 Kings, the final days of Judah' s
last king before the Babylonian exile (though the end of 2 Chronicles
touches lightly on the restoration of Jerusalem under the Persians).
What is found between theses verses will be the object of our study
for the next three months.
It is not always the most uplifting material. That is only because
there is never anything uplifting about sin, compromise, rebellion, and
apostasy—not then, not now. Nevertheless, plenty remains to be
learned from the Bible, both from the good events and from the bad. In
fact, though Paul was writing about an earlier period in Hebrew his-
tory, his point is still valid for our particular study: "Now these things
happened to them as a warning, but they were written down for our
instruction, upon whom the end of the ages has come" (1 Cor. 10:11,
RSV).
This quarter's Bible Study Guide moves between Chronicles and
Kings, which often tell the same story, from different perspectives
(though, in some cases, it is clear one writer borrowed from another).
The Chronicles tend to have a distinct spiritual focus, while the
Kings center more on historical and political issues. All together,
they paint a picture of this crucial time in Jewish and Israelite
history.
No one knows for certain who wrote Kings or Chronicles. Origi-
nally, both were single volumes. Some ancient records reveal that
Jeremiah probably supplied the information in 1 and 2 Kings
(see
The SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 2, p. 716: 2. "Authorship").
Chronicles is a type of daily record, known as a " 'book of events of
the days.'
"—The SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 3, p. 115:1. "Title."
Ezra probably supplied the information.
We begin in the days of one monarchy, under David and then
Solomon; next, we watch the nation split, and, finally, we follow
the respective paths of the two kingdoms. We go back and forth,
from the southern kingdom to the northern, to the southern, to the
northern, and so forth, ending with the Babylonian captivity of the
south (the north vanishes more than a century earlier, swallowed by
the Assyrians).
It is incredible history, not just for the drama but for the lessons
that we, the spiritual heirs of these people, can learn from the history of
those who are, indeed, our ancestors, in both spirit and in truth.
3
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find eiesio
hedLed them
The ministries of Je51.15
often included a healing touch.
Relieving suffering
is
fundamental to the Christian walk.
The health and medical ministry
is
one
of the best methods
of initiating contact with those of other faiths. Indonesia,
the fourth most populous country in the world, and the
world's largest Islamic nation,
is
in need of medical clinics
and equipment to carry
on
the work of Christ.
Help them reach out with a healing touch.
Read
MISSI N
The Thirteenth Sabbath Offering
on
September 28
supports projects in the Southern Asia-Pacific Division.
Lesson 1
*June 29—July 5
Rough Start
Sabbath Afternoon
MEMORY TEXT: "Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a
great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be
blessed in him?" (Genesis 18:18).
F
AMILY SQUABBLES. The books of Kings and Chronicles
are,in many ways, a family history. Much of the Bible—at least
the Old Testament, particularly the earliest books—is the same:
It is the story of a family, not just any family, of course, but the family
that comes from faithful (but flawed) Abraham, the one through whom
"all the nations of the earth shall be blessed" (Gen. 18:18).
Unfortunately, as with so many families, the examples of Abraham's
and his descendants' families hardly present a model home. Kings and
Chronicles continue what has been, and still is, a sad story—one with
occasional and brilliant spasms of divine light, interspersed between
the constant current of human darkness.
In Kings, starting in the first chapter, both the light and darkness are
presented. Let us learn from both. Each has lessons for us, as we seek to
cling to the Light amid the rush of darkness that surrounds us in this
fallen world, just as it surrounded those of whom we are about to read.
THE WEEK AT A GLANCE: Why did Adonijah rebel? What was the
cause of his rebellion? Why did Nathan side with David and Bathsheba?
Are sins ever partially forgiven? Where is the foundation of forgive-
ness to be found? Can we still suffer from forgiven sins?
*Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 6.
6
Sunday
June 30
"I WILL BE KING."
"Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be
king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run
before him" (1 Kings 1:5).
T
he book of 1 Kings begins with what was to become a peren-
nial problem in Israel and Judah, that of royal ascension. Israel
was not, originally, supposed to have a king; God Himself would
be their ruler (Judg. 8:23; 1 Sam. 12:12). However, once they had a king,
it was not too long before they suffered from the many political prob-
lems associated with earthly government. Part of the book of Samuel, in
fact, deals with David fleeing the wrath of Israel's first king, Saul, who
saw David as a political threat to his throne. The book of Kings itself
starts with a similar problem, only now with the next generation. It was
a rough start, indeed.
Who was Adonijah, and why did he think that he should be king?
See 1 Kings 2:22. What other factors
(see
1 Kings 1:6) contributed to
his rebellious attitude?
Notice the words that Adonijah spoke: "I will be king" (vs. 5). How
interesting that they reflect the words of another privileged biblical
character, Lucifer, who exclaimed: "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt
my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the
congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights
of the clouds; I will be like the most High" (Isa. 14:13, 14). Adonijah
reflects the same attitude of self-exaltation, the same desire for su-
premacy, that led to the fall of Lucifer, even to the point where he was
willing to rebel. Read through verses 7-10 in 1 Kings 1 to see some of the
things Adonijah did in an attempt to secure the throne, things that
mirrored Lucifer's acts during his rebellion in heaven (read Ellen G.
White,
The Great Controversy,
p. 495).
Whatever valid reasons Adonijah might have had for thinking the
throne belonged to him (after all, he was the older brother (see
1 Kings 2:22(), his attitude and actions reveal a spirit of rebel-
lion and self-exaltation. Can you find, in your own life, traces or
hints of this same attitude? If so, how does looking at Jesus, at
His acts and expression of self-renunciation and self-denial, pro-
tect us from this common and, oftentimes, subtle sin?
7
Monday
July 1
FORGIVEN SIN.
"Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon,
saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth
reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?" (1 Kings 1:11).
N
otice who first revealed to Bathsheba the plot against her and
her son. It was Nathan the prophet, the same Nathan the prophet
who had exposed David's sin of adultery many years ago
(2 Samuel 11; 12). Now, however, he is taking the side of David and
Bathsheba, the two parties in that terrible episode.
Though we do not focus much on her part (the biblical emphasis
was on David), Bathsheba suffered the consequences of adultery, as
well. In contrast to David, Scripture gives numerous examples of
those who, in similar situations, refused to succumb to pressure from
above—whatever kind it was: Joseph (Genesis 39), Vashti (Esther
1),
Daniel (Daniel 6), to name a few.
What biblical examples can one find of those who refused to give
in to people who attempted to use political power to bully them?
Nevertheless, regardless of David's sin, he was forgiven. When for-
given, we are
completely
forgiven. Those who have accepted Christ's
righteousness (the only means of forgiveness) are covered in His perfec-
tion, the perfection that He wrought out in His life here. When God looks
upon us, who have accepted Christ as our Righteousness, He no longer
sees our sins, our failings, our shortcomings. Instead, He sees Jesus in all
His holiness and sinlessness. There is no such thing as being partially
forgiven. We are either wrapped in the robe of Christ's perfect holiness
or we stand in the shame of our own nakedness. When we are forgiven,
our sins are, in a sense,
forgotten
by God.
"For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and
their iniquities will I remember no more" (Heb. 8:12). "And their sins and
iniquities will I remember no more" (Heb. 10:17).
No wonder Nathan the prophet could side with David and Bathsheba,
despite their terrible past.
The good news of the gospel is that, no matter what our history
has been, regardless of our past, or however low we have fallen,
through the righteousness of Jesus, God, in a sense,
wipes our past
slate
clean. Even more than that, He replaces that slate with the
record and the perfection of Jesus. Dwell on what that good news
means for you. Share with someone the freedom, the liberation, and
the joy that this most wonderful of all truths provides.
8
Tuesday
July 2
THE WAGES OF FORGIVEN SIN.
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap" (Gal. 6:7).
A
man had been sexually abusing his young daughter for years.
One night he had a miraculous conversion. Repenting, he dropped
to his knees with bitterness and sorrow of heart and soul,
confessed his sin, and with acid tears, pleaded with Jesus for forgive-
ness.
If his repentance was genuine, would he be forgiven? Be careful
how you answer, because if you say Yes, then you are saying that this
child molester, this man who perhaps a day before had been having
sexual relations with his daughter, was now
perfect
in Christ.
Perfect?
Are you saying that this heinous sin was now pardoned by the blood of
Christ and that this man now stood clothed in the perfect righteous-
ness of Jesus? (See Rom. 3:22.)
Are you prepared to say that?
What else can you say? Where sin abounds, grace abounds more,
right? (Rom. 5:20). Pardon to the chief of sinners, right? (1 Tim. 1:15).
Christ died for the ungodly, right? (Rom. 5:6).
There is another side to the equation, however. Through Christ,
God promises that our sins can be forgiven (Eph.
1:7;
Col. 1:14).
David's and Bathsheba's lives are great examples of that promise.
God, however, never promises that we will be spared the immediate,
earthly consequences of our sins, even those sins that have been
forgiven.
Though the father could have been pardoned instantly from the
legal consequences of his foul acts, the results of those foul acts were
not disposed of so easily. One night of bitter weeping did not eradicate
the results. On the contrary, the abused little girl had crumbled into an
emotionally destroyed adult, who, for years, suffered from alcoholism,
suicidal depression, and drug use that destroyed two marriages, leav-
ing in her wake four children, all of whom paid dearly because of their
mother's emotional woe—all
brought upon them by sins that had long
ago been pardoned!
Ellen White tells us that even though David's sin had been for-
given, the results were seen for generations afterward. Who knows,
perhaps Adonijah's rebellion indirectly resulted from the lack of
respect that fomented in the house because of sins that already had
been forgiven. How nice, indeed, if relief from the consequences of
our sins could come as fast as pardon for them does. It, however,
rarely works that way. What lessons can we learn from this painful
story?
9
Wednesday
July 3
THE PLOT UNCOVERED (1 Kings 1:11-27).
N
athan the prophet goes to Bathsheba and warns her about
Adonijah's political machinations and plots. The issue here, at
least as far as she and her son are concerned, is greater than just
who will be the next king.
What did Nathan say would happen to Bathsheba and Solomon if
Adonijah became king? Why would such a measure be taken if Adonijah
succeeded?
It is interesting that Nathan would be so sure that Adonijah's succes-
sion would lead to the death of Bathsheba and Solomon. Maybe he was
looking at how Saul had responded to the threat of David; maybe he was
looking at what happened to the nations around them. Whatever the
reasons, even in this early stage of Israel's history, when there had been
only two kings so far, Nathan saw the danger that awaited those who lost
out in the bid for power.
All this was happening in the nation that was to
represent the true God to the world?
See Deuteronomy 4:5-8. How quickly
the corruptions of the world had infiltrated the Hebrew nation! No wonder
God did not want them to have an earthly king.
David had promised Bathsheba that Solomon, her son, would reign
after him. Why did David make that promise to her?
First Chronicles 22 makes it clear that Solomon was to follow his
father on the throne. "And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it
was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God: But
the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abun-
dantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto
my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my
sight. Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest;
and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name
shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his
days" (1 Chron. 22:7-9). David, obviously, felt a divine imperative to
stop Adonijah. His choice was not arbitrary. He was simply following
God's Word to him.
Look at the royal mess caused by Israel's choice to have an earthly
king. Why did the Lord, who knows the beginning from the end, allow
them to make such a disastrous decision? In the same way, in our own
lives, we have the same freedom to make right or wrong choices. How
crucial that we weigh our options before turning them into decisions.
10
Thursday
July 4
THE PLOT FOILED (1 Kings 1:28-53).
"And the king sware, and said, As the Lord liveth, that hath re-
deemed my soul out of all distress, even as I sware unto thee by the
Lord God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign
after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I
certainly do this day" (1 Kings 1:29, 30).
In haste, and probably in a certain amount of fear, Solomon was
named by David as his successor to the throne. More than likely this
was not how David envisioned his son to succeed him, even though
great rejoicing erupted in the city (vss. 39, 40). David was able to bring
some personal good out of it, though: " ' "Blessed be the Lord God of
Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, while my eyes see
it!" ' " (1 Kings 1:48, NKJV). David was able to see the promise being
fulfilled that God had made long ago to him. No doubt, he viewed this
as another way in which the Lord was being gracious to him.
Meanwhile, Adonijah had tried to usurp that throne, not just from
Solomon but from David, who was still alive and still king when the son
proclaimed "I will be king!" (vs. 5). Thus, this was a coup against the
reigning monarch, not just a bid for power between rival contenders.
His was a full-blown revolution in which he had a lot of support, even
from within the king's own family (see 1 Kings 1:9).
After his revolt failed, Adonijah obviously felt that he had reason to
fear, now that Solomon was king, which is why he found sanctuary and
asylum by taking hold "on the horns of the altar" (vss. 50, 51). Though,
perhaps, Solomon could have felt justified in immediately putting to
death the one who, more than likely, would have had no qualms about
eliminating him, Solomon, instead, gave him a chance to redeem himself:
"And Solomon said, If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall
not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in
him, he shall die. So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down
from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and
Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house" (1 Kings 1:52, 53).
In what ways can one see, in Solomon's words to Adonijah, hints of
the new king's wisdom, graciousness, and greatness in this, his
first recorded act as sovereign? Though, as it turns out, his first act
probably was a mistake (see 1 Kings 2:13-28), Solomon at least
erred on the side of mercy and graciousness. If we, who usually do
not have the wisdom of Solomon, are going to err at times, as
well, why should it not be on the side of mercy and grace too?
11
Friday
July 5
FURTHER STUDY:
I
n the context of what went on in the first chapter of the first book
of Kings, read these words: "Though the books of Kings present
the history of the Hebrew rulers from the death of David and the
reign of Solomon to the final destruction of the kingdoms of Israel and
Judah, the primary purpose is not to present the facts of history for the
sake of history. There is history, but it is presented with a purpose—to
show how the experiences of the Hebrews relate to the plans and
purposes of God. The object was not so much to write a detailed
chronicle of the bald facts of history as to present the lessons of
history. The compiler of these books had a deep religious motive and a
very practical aim. The children of Israel were the people of God, and
it was their task to fulfill the divine purpose and live out on earth the
principles of the kingdom of heaven. Righteousness was to be the
foundation for national prosperity. Sin could end only in ruin. If true
to its divine mission, the nation would grow in strength and greatness.
If kings and rulers failed to live up to the divine purpose, Israel as a
people would perish. The nation could not exist without righteousness
and without
God."—The SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 2, p. 717:
"Theme."
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
I. Further discuss this notion that we can suffer greatly even
from sin that has been forgiven. What does that mean?
Does the God who has the power to forgive sins not have the
power to protect us from the consequences of them? Give
some examples, either from the Bible or anywhere else,
where God has intervened and has spared people the conse-
quences that their sin, otherwise, would have brought upon
them.
2.
Place yourself in the role of Adonijah, elder brother to Solomon.
In what ways could he have easily justified his desire for the
throne, even though God had told David that Solomon should be
the heir? What should that tell us about the dangers of acting
on pure rational thinking alone?
3.
Discuss this notion of erring on the side of mercy and grace.
Why is it better to err that way than the other way of pure
justice and precise punishment? In what ways can we
go
too far,
perhaps, in extending mercy and grace to others; or, consider-
ing the mercy and grace extended to us, can we ever go too far?
Explain your answers.
12
The Teacher Learns a Lesson
Melchie Tonog
I was a new student missionary in the Manobo village. My partner
had gone to Mountain View College for our monthly report, leaving
me alone in the village. I planned to use her absence to get to know my
students and work on learning the language.
But my partner did not return when she planned. A week passed, and
still she had not returned. Then I learned that she had to go home to care
for her seriously ill mother. I was on my own. The Manobo children
comforted me and helped me cope. After class I visited homes in the
village. At one little home I found a young mother crying.
"What is wrong, Ayo?" I asked. Then I heard her baby's gasping
breath. He was congested with thick phlegm and could barely breathe.
I checked his temperature; it was dangerously high. I had no medi-
cines, but I sponged him to bring his fever down, but it remained high.
"Ayo," I said, "Let us ask God to heal your baby." She consented.
"Dear God," I prayed, "You are the Great Physician. We need Your
presence and Your help. Please touch this baby with Your healing and
make him well again. In Jesus' name, Amen."
"Thank you," Ayo said.
The baby's breathing did not improve. Desperate, I told Ayo, "We
must take the baby to the hospital."
Ayo looked at me, puzzled. "But why? We've prayed, haven't we?
We need only to trust in God, and my baby will be well."
"But Ayo, I am not a doctor, and your baby is so sick!" I pleaded.
Ayo looked straight at me. "Town is a three-hour hike down a steep
mountain and across many rivers. Then we must ride two more hours
on the rough road to the nearest hospital. My baby might die on the
way. And when we get to the hospital, the doctor will charge us much
money for medicine. Do you have money?" I shook my head No. "It is
enough that we prayed. God will heal my baby," she smiled confi-
dently.
I stayed with Ayo and her baby a while longer. Before leaving, I
offered another prayer.
The next morning I hurried to check on Ayo's baby. "He's well!"
Ayo greeted me with a smile. I took the baby's temperature. The fever
was gone.
He was well!
Choked with tears, I offered a Thank-You prayer. Then silently I
added,
Lord, please help me to have faith like Ayo.
Melchie Tonog is a SULAD student missionary from Mountain
View College serving in the village of Dapilo-an
in southern
Philippines.
Produced by the Office of Mission
Sabbath School-Personal Ministries department of the General Conference
Email: gomission@gc.adventist.org
13
Lesson 2
*July 6-12
The Wisdom of Solomon
Sabbath Afternoon
MEMORY VERSE: "And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my
statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I
will lengthen thy days" (1 Kings 3:14).
S
OLOMON ON THE THRONE.
Last week's lesson ended with
Solomon ascending to the throne; this week starts out with him
firmly securing it. It is not always a pretty picture. Israel, in
choosing to have a king, would suffer for the rest of its days from that
unfortunate decision. Things in the chosen nation were not the way
they should have been (What, of course, in life is?). How thankful we
should all be that God is still willing to work with us, no matter how
much we have messed up along the way.
This week does, however, reveal some of the most tender moments
one can find between human beings and their Maker; thus, there is
much here that we can learn.
THE WEEK AT A GLANCE: What was David's specific message to
Solomon before the aged king died? What were the conditions that
Solomon had to meet in order to be blessed? What unfinished business
did the new king have to complete before securing his throne? What
did Solomon ask for, and what did God give him? How can we, as
Christians, know the difference between good and evil?
*Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 13.
14
Sunday
July 7
DEATHBED ADMONITION.
"Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged
Solomon his son, saying, I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong
therefore, and shew thyself a man; And keep the charge of the Lord thy
God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments,
and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of
Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever
thou turnest thyself " (1 Kings 2:1-3).
N
otice David's dying words to his son: Whatever else he might
have said (and one assumes he said more), the writer of Kings
specified one particular aspect of David's discourse to his son,
and that is the part where David said, basically, "Obey the Lord."
David's words were taken, apparently, from the book of Deuteronomy,
which was, in a sense, Moses' last will and testament to Israel. See
Deuteronomy 4:40; 6:2; 6:17; 7:11; 12.
Notice the conditionality (see 1 Kings 2:3, 4) in David's words. The
promises of blessing were made on the condition of obedience; merely
being David's chosen son was not going to be enough for Solomon.
Bloodline does not guarantee anything, not then and certainly not now.
Thus, David's advice was not just some nice, soapy spiritual tome. It
was, instead, filled with basic practicality:
If you want to prosper, if you
want all these wonderful blessings that God has promised, you must
obey Him. Otherwise, ruin and destruction surely will come.
This
theme appears time and again in the books of Kings and Chronicles.
Even though, of course, we are no longer under the Hebrew
sys-
tem,
in what ways does that same principle apply to us today? For
those who might think that this principle does not apply, read the
following texts—all taken from the
New
Testament and written for
those under the
New
Covenant—and write down a few notes about
what they say regarding obedience to the Lord and His command-
ments:
Matt. 7:24-27
Matt. 13:41, 42
Col. 3:5,
6
1 Pet. 4:17
1 John
2:4
15
Monday
July 8
ADONIJAH REVISITED (1 Kings 2:13-25).
U
pon first reading the account in 1 Kings 2:13-25, it seems that,
perhaps, Adonijah was killed in a fit of jealousy by the king,
who did not want to give him Abishag. However, that is not what
happened. Adonijah's request was not spurred on by any love for Abishag;
instead, it was another attempt to try and usurp Solomon's power. It was a
custom of the times that a new king would inherit the former king's
concubines and sometimes his wives; thus, Solomon saw the request for
what it was—an attempt to do through palace intrigue what was not
accomplished by force. Solomon's words in verse 22 ("Ask for him the
kingdom also?") show that he knew what was going on. "The real burden
of his heart was probably not a romantic concern for the fair Abishag, but
the kingdom he hoped to acquire by possession of her. . . . Abishag was
doubtless looked upon as the last wife, or at least the last concubine, of
David. For Adonijah now to ask for Abishag could be construed as asking
for the throne itself."—The
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 2, p. 733:17,
"Give me Abishag."
Perhaps what is most interesting about this story is that Adonijah,
in verse 15, admits to Bathsheba that, though many people
expected him to be king, Solomon took the throne instead. Indeed,
Adonijah says "for it was his from the Lord." Here was a confes-
sion, from his own lips, that the Lord was behind his brother's
ascension to the throne. How does this help us understand Solomon's
actions toward him?
As human beings, we are endowed with a gift not found among other
flesh-and-blood creatures, and that is reason (in fact, some say that the only
thing that differentiates us from the animals is our reason). Yet, we are also
creatures of emotion, of passion, of primal urges. Ideally, though our reason
should be used to control our emotions and passions and urges, such is not
always the paradigm. Adonijah is a good case in point. He admitted that
God gave Solomon the throne, and his life, which should have been snuffed
out immediately, was spared only by Solomon's graciousness. Reason, no
doubt, told him,
Let it go; be glad you did not get your head chopped off
However, it seems that his lower passions—lust for power, rebellion,
jealousy, and the desire for self-exaltation—overruled what simple reason
clearly showed should have been his course of action.
How many lives have you seen ruined when someone allowed
brewing, stewing passions to overcome and crush out simple logic
and reason? None of us are immune to this same danger. What is
our only safeguard, and how does it protect us against this danger?
16
Tuesday
July 9
ABIATHAR, JOAB, AND SHIMEI (1 Kings 2:26-46).
"Thus the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon"
(1 Kings 2:46, NKJV).
/
t is interesting how the last verse of 1 Kings, chapter 2, reads:
"Thus the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon"
(vs. 46, NKJV). This pronouncement occurs in the same verse that
says Shimei, who had cursed King David, according to verse 8, was
struck down at Solomon's command. Likewise, Joab, who had con-
spired with Adonijah against Solomon, had been put to death (vss. 28-
34). Additionally, Abiathar, the priest, had been sent into exile for the
part he played in the treason (vss. 26, 27). In short, Solomon had to take
some rather drastic measures in order to "establish" his throne.
If God put Solomon in power, why did Solomon have to do the things
he did in order to establish his throne? In other words, why did he not
just trust God to take care of these matters Himself? Could the Lord
not have made sure that none of these men bothered or even threatened
Solomon or his reign? Without, obviously, taking the example too far
(after all, we are talking here about killing people), what lesson can
one draw from this story about balancing faith with practical steps?
"David's public labor was about to close. He knew that he should
soon die, and he does not leave his business matters in confusion, to
vex the soul of his son; but while he has sufficient physical and mental
strength, he arranges the affairs of his kingdom, even to the minutest
matters, not forgetting to warn Solomon in regard to the case of Shimei.
He knew that the latter would cause trouble in the kingdom. He was a
dangerous man, of violent temper, and was kept in control only through
fear. Whenever he dared, he would cause rebellion, or, if he had a
favorable opportunity, would not hesitate to take the life of Solomon."
—Ellen G. White,
Spirit of Prophecy, vol.
1, pp. 389, 390.
Many people struggle when they read stories like these in the Old
Testament. Sure, Shimei disobeyed, but all he did was cross over a
river in order to seek some runaway servants. Was that worthy of
death? There are other stories like this in the Bible that many of us
today find hard to reconcile with a loving God. What answers can you
give
to someone who, reading such stories, comes away skeptical
about the Bible? Hint: The Ellen G. White quote above sheds light
that was not specifically in the Bible account. In other words,
perhaps many of these things seem so hard because we are not
given all the facts regarding them.
17
Wednesday
July 10
SOLOMON'S DREAM (1 Kings 3:5-15).
"And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my
father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in
righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast
kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit
on his throne, as it is this day" (1 Kings 3:6).
F
ew chapters of Kings are more beautiful, more moving, than
chapter 3. It reveals a heart surrendered to God, a heart aware of
its own unworthiness, of its own fragility and need. In this chap-
ter, Solomon's attitude, the one that gave him so much potential to be
used by God, is revealed.
What specifically did Solomon say that showed his humility and
dependence upon the Lord? 1 Kings 3:7-9.
It is hard to understand why Solomon would be so humble and
dependent. Here he is, the favored son of a rich man, the king even,
one who was not known for being a strong disciplinarian with his kids.
Just look at some of Solomon's siblings; little there shows promise,
either. Adonijah revolts, Absalom revolts, and Ammon rapes his own
sister (Who knows what we are not told?).
Yet, amid all this decadence, ambition, pride, and lust for power, here
is this young man, the favored son, the one promised and then given
the throne—and he displays such humility and dependence upon God.
Where did he learn it from? How did he get it? How easily his attitude
could have been,
Look at me! I must be something great that I, the
favored son of the great king, would be given this throne, especially at
such a young age.
Compare, for example, what Solomon said here
with these words of another sovereign: "The king spake, and said, Is
not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom
by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?" (Dan.
4:30). What a contrast!
In 1 Kings 3:5, the Lord says to young Solomon, 'Ask! What
shall I give you?" (NKJV). Imagine yourself being placed in that
situation, in such a dramatic manner. What would you ask for?
Would it be similar to that which Solomon asked for, or would it be
for riches, revenge, and honor? Being honest with yourself, make a
list of what you would request and then look at it carefully. What
does it say about you, about where your heart is, about what things
are important to you? Also, could you be trusted with the kind of
power that Solomon had?
18
Thursday
July 11
AN UNDERSTANDING HEART (1 Kings 3:10-15).
"Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy
people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge
this thy so great a people?" (1 Kings 3:9).
H
ow fascinating that of all the things Solomon should ask for, it
would be to be able to " 'discern between good and evil' "
(NKJV). Centuries later, in the New Testament, the author of
Hebrews could write: "But strong meat belongeth to them that are of
full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised
to discern both good and evil" (Heb. 5:14).
Solomon asks God for this discernment; the writer of Hebrews says that
the ability to discern right from wrong develops through the use of the
senses. However one gets it (and both ways are not, necessarily, opposed),
the ability to discern between good and evil is something to be sought after.
Read Matthew 6:33. In what ways did young Solomon's request
reflect this admonition?
Solomon desired a heart to be able to discern between
good and
evil"' (1 Kings 3:9, NKJV). Of course, he is making the assumption that
good and evil really exist. Today, however, many people view things
like "good" and "evil" as purely subjective terms that have no meaning
other than what each individual or society gives it. What is "good" or
"evil" in one land might be "evil" and "good" in another. John Paul
Sartre, the century's most influential atheist, stated that he found "it
very distressing that God does not exist, because all possibility of
finding values in a heaven of ideas disappears along with Him; there can
no longer be an a
priori
Good, since there is no infinite and perfect
consciousness to think
it."—Existentialism and Human Emotions
(New
York: The Wisdom Library, 1957), p. 22. However much we might
disagree with Sartre's premise that God does not exist, his point is well-
taken: Without God, how can there really be any absolute good or evil?
For the next few days, make a mental note (or write down
your thoughts) of the various choices you are confronted with
that, to some degree, require you to be able to " 'discern
between good and evil' " (NKJV). When Sabbath comes, share
with the class. One question you need to address, too, is this:
How are you able to classify that which is good and that which is
evil? See if others have different definitions of the terms. The
results should show just how crucial it is to be able to define the
two terms and then discern between them.
19
Friday
July 12
FURTHER STUDY:
f
ead Ellen G. White,
Prophets and Kings,
chapters 1-5, pp. 25-86,
or some insights into what happened during Solomon's time.
"Solomon was never so rich or so wise or so truly great as when he
confessed, 'I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.'
"Those who today occupy positions of trust should seek to learn the
lesson taught by Solomon's prayer. The higher the position a man occu-
pies, the greater the responsibility that he has to bear, the wider will be the
influence that he exerts and the greater his need of dependence on God.
Ever should he remember that with the call to work comes the call to walk
circumspectly before his fellow men. He is to stand before God in the
attitude of a learner. Position does not give holiness of character. It is by
honoring God and obeying His commands that a man is made truly
great. . . . So long as he remains consecrated, the man whom God has
endowed with discernment and ability will not manifest an eagerness for
high position, neither will he seek to rule or control. Of necessity men must
bear responsibilities; but instead of striving for the supremacy, he who is
a true leader will pray for an understanding heart, to discern between good
and
evil."—Prophets and Kings,
pp. 30, 31.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
Read the story in 1 Kings 3:16-28. What does it say about the
limits of human justice? In other words, what law books or
codes could have solved the problem confronted? Read the last
verse of the chapter and discuss what it means to have "the
wisdom of God" (vs. 28) in administering justice. Can you think
of any other stories in the Bible (such as Jesus and the woman
taken in adultery, in John 8:3-11) that show similar principles?
2.
In Dostoevsky's
Crime and Punishment,
Sofya Semyonovna
Marmeladov becomes a prostitute in order to feed her starv-
ing little brother and sister. Rodion Ramonovitch Raskolnikov
kills a nasty, spiteful, old loan shark and steals her money in
order to help his mother and sister to advance his studies and
to become someone great who will devote himself to fulfilling
his humane obligations to humankind. Were these acts, given
the intense circumstances that framed them, wrong? How do
we know? Discuss the notion of good and evil. If there were no
God who imposed an immutable moral order on the universe,
what grounds can one use to categorically condemn murder
and prostitution? What sort of authority can justly impose
these moral restraints upon free souls? How should Christians
ultimately decide what is good and what is evil?
20
TAW
When God Rang the Bell
J. H. Zachary
The Ukrainian Union has a special lay evangelistic program
that prepares church members to visit their neighbors door-to-
door. The believers offer whatever they can: a listening ear, a word
of encouragement, a piece of literature, or Bible studies.
Two Adventist women were visiting their neighbors one day.
They approached one home and pressed the doorbell. The women
talked while they waited for someone to answer the door.
After several minutes an angry woman opened the door and
shouted, "Why do you keep ringing my doorbell? What do you
want?"
"I am so sorry," the woman apologized. "I must have been
leaning against the bell. Please forgive me." The visitor quickly
told the angry woman the reason they had come. "We are visiting
our neighbors and were hoping to find someone home. We have
some helpful literature that you might be interested in. May we
come in and pray with you?"
At the visitor's gentle words, the angry woman relaxed and
invited the women inside.
The two women entered the home and found another woman
sitting on the floor. Lying beside her were several large bottles of
medicine, all opened. The visitors soon discovered that these two
women had planned to commit suicide. As the visitors talked to
the two women, they shared their faith in Christ and encouraged
the women to give God their troubles.
"Now I understand," the once-angry woman told them. "It was
not you who rang my doorbell; it was God. He sent you here; He
rang the doorbell just at the moment when we were preparing to
end our lives. Thank you for coming at this moment. We are
interested in your literature, and we need your prayers. Please pray
for us."
The visitors prayed with their new friends and assured them that
no problem was too great for God to take care of it. As they
prepared to leave, four women said Goodbye with hearts rejoicing
in God's perfect timing.
Some months later, a worker told this story at a lay-training
seminar. A woman in the audience stood. "I am the woman who
answered the door that day. Those two missionaries saved my life."
J. H. Zachary
is coordinator of international evangelism for The Quiet
Hour and a special consultant for the General Conference Ministerial
Association.
Produced by the Office of Mission
Sabbath School-Personal Ministries department of the General Conference
Email: gomission@gc.adventist.org
21
Lesson 3
*July 13-19
The Rise and the Fall of the
House of Solomon
0
Oat
Vf
Sabbath Afternoon
MEMORY TEXT: "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold,
the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much
less this house that I have builded?" (1 Kings 8:27).
M
ANY STRANGE WOMEN.
First Kings 3:3 reads: "And
Solomon loved the Lord"; 1 Kings 11:1 reads, "But King
Solomon loved many strange women." Solomon vacillates
from the love of God to the love of "many strange women." What a
long (or maybe a short) distance! Either way, between those two
simple verses, the whole story of this week's lesson emerges.
Perhaps these two other verses could have provided the bookends
for the week: "And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had
asked this thing" (1 Kings 3:10); "So the Lord became angry with
Solomon, because his heart had turned from the Lord God of Israel"
(1 Kings 11:9, NKJV).
Whichever pair of verses one uses to contain the account, the story
remains sad, poignant, and, most of all, instructive.
THE WEEK AT A GLANCE: Why were the early years of Solomon so
great? What were the conditions for that greatness? What was the
purpose of the temple? Was it to be for the Jews alone? Which great
spiritual truths were to be taught from it? What signs, if any, early on
gave indication that Solomon was heading for disaster? What ulti-
mately brought his downfall?
*Please study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 20.
22
Sunday
July 14
THE GOLDEN AGE (1 Kings 4).
"Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in
multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry" (1 Kings 4:20).
N
ever, in the long and troubled history of the Hebrew nation,
had the people enjoyed such a time of peace, wealth, and
prosperity as they had during the reign of Solomon. "The Bible
with justice depicts Solomon's reign as one of unexampled prosperity.
Israel enjoyed a security and a material plenty such as she had never
dreamed of before and was never to know again. And this, in turn,
allowed an amazing flowering of the peaceful arts."—John Bright,
A
History of Israel
(Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1981), p. 217.
In many ways, the nation seemed to be enjoying the blessings that
God had promised to the people if they would obey Him.
Read Deuteronomy 28:1-14. Compare the blessings that God said
Israel would enjoy if they would " 'diligently obey the voice of the
Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments' " (Dent.
28:1, NKJV) with what they were experiencing in Solomon's time:
The Promises (Dent. 28:1-14)
The Results (1 Kings 4)
God had raised up the Hebrew nation for a reason: They were to
preach the message of salvation by faith to the world, who—seeing the
success of the Hebrew people—would come, seeking to know the
source of their greatness, wisdom, and material prosperity. Read
Deuteronomy 4:6-8 and compare it with 1 Kings 4:29-34. Though the
focus in Kings is specifically on Solomon, the principle is the same: God
blessed these people because they obeyed His laws and His command-
ments, and as a result of those blessings, their lifestyle made them
attractive to the world at large.
How does this same principle apply to us as a church today? Read
1 Peter 2:9.
Look at yourself, look at your church, and—realizing that the issue
goes far beyond mere material prosperity—ask the question, Are you
living a lifestyle that would cause others to want to know more about
your beliefs? Could someone, not knowing much about you, by seeing
how you live, how you react, how you treat others, find something
appealing that would draw him or her to want to know more?
23
Monday
July 15
SOLOMON'S TEMPLE (1 Kings 5-6).
"And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the Lord
my God, as the Lord spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom
I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my
na
me" (1 Kings 5:5).
G
od, through the promise made to the forefathers of Solomon,
had raised up Israel to teach the world about the plan of salva-
tion. At the center of salvation is, of course, Jesus Christ, "in
whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of
sins" (Col. 1:14). Of all that Israel could teach the world about the true
God, about hygiene, about diet, about family relations, nothing mat-
tered more than that they teach the world about the sacrifice for sins
that would come through the Messiah. That is why, no doubt, the
sanctuary service in the temple that Solomon had built was at the center
of Israel's worship. It was through this structure and the services
performed in it that the plan of salvation was taught. No wonder it took
on so much prominence in Israel.
Read through the details of the construction of the sanctuary
service. It was, obviously, quite an elaborate structure, taking
seven years to build (1 Kings 6:38). Think about how much time
and money was spent on building it. Though Solomon had God's
blessing on the project, could one argue that there was no need
for such extravagance? Could the money and energy expended
on something so grand not have been used elsewhere? Or, on the
other hand, was there a purpose for it being built so elaborately?
Give reasons for whichever position you take.
However crucial the temple was, it was not so much the building that
was important, nor even the services themselves, for these were only
temporary measures, earthly things that were to point to a greater
reality, that of Christ and His ministry in heaven (Heb. 8:1-5). What
mattered, instead, were the spiritual lessons that were to be learned
from the services.
However grand and glorious Solomon's temple, the danger ex-
isted that the people would become caught up in the forms and styles
of worship, thus missing the great truths behind them. This, appar-
ently, had happened to Israel. In what ways are we, as a people, in
danger of doing the same thing: becoming too caught up in forms,
style, doctrines, and missing the real message behind them?
24
Tuesday
July 16
SOLOMON'S DEDICATION (1 Kings 8:22-66; see also 2 Chron.
1:6-12).
"And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy
people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in
heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive"
(1 Kings 8:30).
T
hough there is an incredible amount of theology in Solomon's
prayer of dedication, one theme comes through time and again,
and that is forgiveness. How many times does Solomon talk
about forgiveness in his prayer? Count them.
If we, as a people, sin,
please, Lord, from heaven, forgive.
Whatever else Solomon says in the
prayer, this theme comes repeatedly. God's people need forgiveness
and not just in Solomon's time, either (see 1 John 1:8-10).
Solomon mentions some things, in 1 Kings 8, that his people might
do that would cause them to need forgiveness. What are they? Compare
these things with Deuteronomy 28, where the Lord warns Israel about
the consequences of their sins.
What is it about the sanctuary service itself that makes the theme of
forgiveness so appropriate? In other words, why would Solomon, in
dedicating this temple, constantly talk about forgiveness? What does
the sanctuary have to do with forgiveness?
Read carefully the beautiful section in 1 Kings 8:41-43. Here, clearly,
we see depicted the missionary, evangelistic aspect of Israel. However
much over the centuries the people had turned their religion into an
exclusive club only for themselves, this was never the intention of God.
God most definitely had separated Israel from the world (see vs. 53), but
that was to prepare them to be His witnesses. "I have declared, and
have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among
you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God" (Isa.
43:12). Israel was to be the center of world evangelism, and the temple
was to be the focal point of that activity.
God's people, today, are not in one specific location; nor is there
any single earthly structure around which their religious life cen-
ters. What, now, is the center of our faith, and in what ways is it so
much better than what the earthly sanctuary provided? See Heb.
9:11-15.
25
Wednesday
July 17
SOLOMON CRASHES: PART 1 (1 Kings 11:1-13).
L
ooking back over our shoulders, many centuries later, most of
us find it incredible that Solomon, having been given so much
by the Lord, could have fallen as he did.
The first two verses of 1 Kings 11 say it all: Solomon took women
from the nations that God had specifically told him not to. They did
exactly what God warned about: They turned his heart away from the
God of his fathers.
Notice the progression of steps in his fall:
1.
He takes wives he is not supposed to take (vss. 1, 2).
2.
The women turn his heart away from the Lord (vs. 3).
3.
Solomon follows the "abominations" of the Ammonites (vs. 4).
4.
Solomon builds a place of worship for these foreign deities
(vss. 7, 8).
If someone would have said to Solomon in his earliest days, the days
in which he was humbled and submitted to the Lord, that he would one
day be building altars for pagans to practice their abominations (most
likely involving sexual impurity), he probably would have laughed in
his or her face. However, if one reads through the texts talking about
Solomon, even in his glory, there are hints of his deviating, even then.
Read through Deuteronomy 17:15-20 for the rules regarding a king
and see where you can find, even before his fall, areas in which Solomon
had compromised (see also
Prophets and Kings,
p. 56).
"And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was
turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him
twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should
not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the Lord com-
manded" (1 Kings 11:9, 10). Read both accounts of the occasion when
God appeared to Solomon (1 Kings 3:5-15; 1 Kings 9:1-9). In both
cases, whatever the great blessings were that God promised Solomon,
they were always based on the condition that he obey.
The story of Solomon raises a number of interesting questions,
among them this: Why did the Lord not stop Solomon in his tracks,
early on, from the path of apostasy? Could He not have appeared in
vision to him or not sent an angel or not done something that could
have, in a very clear, startling manner, told Solomon:
My son, you better
wake up, or you are heading for disaster! And not only you, but your
whole nation.
If something like that did happen, nothing is recorded in
the text. Perhaps Solomon had been given enough warning through
God's appearances to him twice, as well as through the testimony of
the Word. In short, what does this story tell us about the freedom that
God gives us?
26
Thursday
July 18
SOLOMON CRASHES: PART 2.
A
ccording to Ellen White, it was after the Lord had pronounced
judgment upon Solomon (1 Kings 11:9-13) that Solomon
repented: "Awakened as from a dream by this sentence of
judgment pronounced against him and his house, Solomon with quick-
ened conscience began to see his folly in its true light. Chastened in
spirit, with mind and body enfeebled, he turned wearied and thirsting
from earth's broken cisterns, to drink once more at the fountain of life.
For him at last the discipline of suffering had accomplished its work.
Long had he been harassed by the fear of utter ruin because of inability
to turn from folly; but now he discerned in the message given him a ray
of hope. God had not utterly cut him off, but stood ready to deliver him
from a bondage more cruel than the grave, and from which he had had
no power to free himself."—Ellen G. White,
Prophets and Kings,
p. 77.
In one sense, it is not hard to see how Solomon could have fallen.
Look at all the prosperity he enjoyed: wealth, power, wisdom. Who
could withstand such temptations? Only a soul totally dependent
upon God; only a soul painfully aware of his or her own sinful-
ness, finitude, and unworthiness could be protected from self-
exaltation under those circumstances. How could looking at the
Cross and what happened at the Cross protect a person from the
kind of self-exaltation that proved so damaging to Solomon?
The religion of the Bible does not speak ill of material things. God
created the world, He created material things, and what He had created
was "good" (see Genesis 1). God made us as material beings, wired and
programmed to enjoy the material world. There is nothing evil about
sensory pleasures: They are gifts from God.
Give some examples of how, through sensory pleasures, we can
learn about God and God's love for us.
Solomon's problem, however, was that he allowed these pleasures
to take total control of his mind. The desire for earthly goods, in and of
itself not bad, consumed him until it became an end instead of the
means. His bitter words, as expressed in Ecclesiastes (which he wrote
after his repentance and return to God) express the painful journey that
one inevitably takes when lured down the road of excessive pleasure.
What can we learn from Solomon's experience that would help us
avoid falling into the snare that all but ruined his life?
27
Friday
July 19
FURTHER STUDY:
R
ead Ellen G. White,
Prophets and Kings,
pp. 25-98, for a more
detailed history of the rise and fall of the house of Solomon.
"From being one of the greatest kings that ever wielded a scepter,
Solomon became a profligate, the tool and slave of others. His charac-
ter, once noble and manly, became enervated and effeminate. His faith
in the living God was supplanted by atheistic doubts. Unbelief marred
his happiness, weakened his principles, and degraded his life. The
justice and magnanimity of his early reign were changed to despotism
and tyranny. Poor, frail human nature! God can do little for men who
lose their sense of dependence upon Him.
"During these years of apostasy, the spiritual decline of Israel pro-
gressed steadily. How could it be otherwise when their king had united
his interests with satanic agencies? Through these agencies the enemy
worked to confuse the minds of the Israelites in regard to true and false
worship, and they became an easy prey. Commerce with other nations
brought them into intimate contact with those who had no love for God,
and their own love for Him was greatly lessened. Their keen sense of
the high, holy character of God was deadened. Refusing to follow in the
path of obedience, they transferred their allegiance to the enemy of
righteousness."—Prophets
and Kings,
pp. 58, 59.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
Read the above quote by Ellen White. Notice how she ties
Solomon's decline to the decline of the nation. Can a single bad
leader destroy the spirituality of an entire people? What pro-
cess is involved here? How does the same thing happen to an
individual church?
2.
Notice, too, in the above statement by Ellen White, the line: "His
faith in the living God was supplanted by atheistic doubts."
What sort of principle was at work here? What would cause
Solomon, someone so blessed by God, to degenerate to the point
where he could question God's existence? See Isaiah 59:2 for
the key and discuss the implications in our own experience as a
church.
3.
As far as time allows, read through the book of Ecclesiastes,
keeping in mind the background to the book: Solomon's repent-
ance after allowing himself to fall away from God. What does he
seem to be saying that shows he learned his lesson?
28
1111,
Questions Lead Japanese Man to Christ
Don Jacobsen
Mr. Ookubo was a busy man, running his shop and caring for
his family. But for the first time in his life, questions began to
plague him.
Who is God? How did life start on this planet? Is it all
by chance, or is there a Creator whom we could come to know?
Mr. Ookubo began reading a lot of books about religion, but the
books did not satisfy all of his questions. He watched other people
and tried to learn from them what was ultimately real, but again
he
was dissatisfied.
One day as he paced the floor grappling with his spiritual
questions, he noticed his small shortwave radio sitting on his desk.
He turned it on and idly turned the dial, searching for something of
interest to listen to.
He came across a station that was broadcasting in his
native
language. The program,
Voice of Hope,
filled his home and heart
with truth and faith. Mr. Ookubo was fascinated by what he heard.
The program offered answers to some of his deepest questions, and
he kept on listening. He became convinced that there truly is a
God who not only made us but loves us so much that He sent His
Son to die for us. That was good news to Mr. Ookubo!
Then Mr. Ookubo heard about the Sabbath. "The same God who
made all things asks us to honor Him and nurture our relationship
with Him by observing His Sabbath on the seventh day of the
week," the speaker said.
This news agitated Mr. Ookubo. He noted that the radio pro-
gram was sponsored by Adventist World Radio, and he listened for
their address. He wrote a letter to the radio speaker, telling him, "I
want to keep the Sabbath. But Saturday is the busiest day of the
week in my shop. For the customers' sake, it is impossible to close
on Saturday. What do you think? Do I need to close my shop on
Saturday? I am searching for an answer to this dilemma."
The Japanese speaker for Adventist World Radio responded
carefully to Mr. Ookubo's questions, making sure that Mr. Ookubo
understood that keeping the Sabbath is motivated by our love for
Jesus and our desire to follow Him.
The two men exchanged many letters over a period of time.
Eventually they met face to face. After a lengthy conversation, Mr.
Ookubo said, "There are many hills to climb in life, but now I walk
them with Jesus."
Don Jacobsen is president of Adventist World Radio.
Produced by the Office
of Mission
Sabbath School-Personal Ministries department of the General Conference
Email: gomission@gc.adventist.org
-19
Lesson 4
*July 20-26
The Rending of God's
Nation
Sabbath Afternoon
MEMORY TEXT: "So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened
not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion
have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to
your tents, 0 Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel
departed unto their tents" (1 Kings 12:16).
T
HE SPLIT.
"After Solomon died, his kingdom fell apart—Judah
in the south and Israel in the north. What may have appeared to
be a strong and united empire broke in two. The causes are found
in Solomon's own reign. The outward glory of his kingdom—the sumptu-
ous court ceremonials, the strong new fortress, the powerful army, the
great trading enterprises with foreign nations—none of this could hide the
fact that by the time Solomon died about 931 B.C., his empire was badly
fissured."—Siegfried H. Horn, "The Divided Monarchy: The Kingdoms
of Judah and Israel,"
Ancient Israel,
Hershel Shanks, editor (Washington,
D.C.: Biblical Archaeological Society, 1988), chap. 5, p. 109.
THE WEEK AT A GLANCE: What kind of sins did the Hebrew
nation fall into? Where did they learn much of the evil they
practiced? What caused the nation to split? How did Jeroboam in
the north try to keep his people loyal? What were some of the
immediate spiritual and political results of the division? What
lessons can we, today, learn from what happened to Israel after
Solomon's death?
*Please study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 27.
30
Sunday
July 21
THE RENDING OF THE KINGDOM (1 Kings 11:26-39).
/
deas, it has been said, have consequences. Sin does, too, especially
when that sin comes from those, such as Solomon, who have great
privileges and responsibilities. That he repented at the end of his
life, of course, is good: On the other hand, it made no difference
regarding the fate of his kingdom. The damage had been done.
Look at 1 Kings 11:33. Notice the trinity of false gods the Israelites
had come to worship. From whom did God's people learn about them?
The text itself gives the answer: They learned about them from the
surrounding nations, a clear and irrefutable testimony to how culture
came to influence, and destroy, true religion.
It is not hard to imagine the rationale used by those who started
bringing these gods into the Hebrew worship:
We need to be progres-
sive. We need to keep up with the times. We need to advance in faith.
Times are changing. We should not be so closed-minded. What makes
us think that we have a monopoly on truth? Let us try to draw as close
to these people as we can; that way we can better reach them.
On the lines below, write your responses to some of the arguments
made above. How would you answer them, especially when some could,
in fact, contain some truth?
Though the Lord said that they had "forsaken me" (vs. 33), it is
not likely that these people openly and flagrantly denied the Lord
God. Rather, they brought in aspects of these pagan religions and
melded them with their worship of the true God. Nevertheless, God
said they had forsaken Him. In what ways can we be guilty of doing
the same?
31
Monday
July 22
"WHAT PORTION HAVE WE IN DAVID?" THE REVOLT
AGAINST REHOBOAM (1 Kings 12:1-24; see also 2 Chronicles 10).
A
fter the death of Solomon, his son Rehoboam reigned in his
stead. Rehoboam was Solomon's son by an Ammorite wife.
He was about forty years old at the time he became king and
well-versed in the inner workings of the kingdom. He might have had
the bloodline of Solomon, but he did not inherit any, it seems, of his
father's wisdom.
First Kings 12:1 says that Rehoboam journeyed to Shechem, in the
north, to be made king. No doubt that had been partially a political move,
to try to help secure the loyalty of the northern tribes. It did not work.
Read verses 2-14 in 1 Kings 12. What were the people complaining
about? What were they asking for? What was Rehoboam's response?
What is particularly interesting about this incident is verse 15:
"Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was
from the Lord, that he might perform his saying, which the Lord spake
by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat." What God
spoke to Ahijah was the prophecy that the kingdom would be torn apart
(1 Kings 11:30-36), which is exactly what happened because of Rehoboam's
arrogance and sheer political insensitivity.
How do we understand this incident? Did the Lord purposely make
Rehoboam stubborn and arrogant in order to fulfill His divine pur-
poses? (See also Exod. 14:4; Matt. 26:24.) Or does God, knowing the
beginning from the end, simply use our actions to fulfill His divine
purposes? Could Rehoboam have acted differently? If so, what would
that have meant for the prophecy?
Read verses 16-24 in 1 Kings 12. After the division of the kingdom—
Israel in the north (under Jeroboam) and Judah in the south (under
Rehoboam)—the Judean king sought to create an army and invade the
north. However, he was warned by the Lord not to do it, and he obeyed.
Again, according to the text, " " 'this thing is from Me' " ' " (vs. 24,
NKJV), meaning that, because of Solomon's sin and the sins of the
people, God had intended for the kingdom to be divided.
Rehoboam was ready to make war on his own people in order to
achieve his political aims—all this in the nation that had the greatest
revelation of God! What can we learn about how
quickly
sin can
damage our spiritual perceptions and blind us to our true condition?
32
Tuesday
July 23
JEROBOAM IN THE NORTH (1 Kings 12:25-33).
O
nce named king in the north, Jeroboam lost no time in consoli-
dating his position. His first move was to assure that his
people would not go to Jerusalem to worship, thus weakening
their loyalty to him in the north.
What was Jeroboam's method of retaining loyalty to his new king-
dom? 1 Kings 12:26-33.
Notice the words he uses to describe the golden calves. " 'Here are
your gods,
0
Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!' "
(vs. 28, NKJV). Where have we heard this before? Of course, from the
apostasy of the golden calf after the Exodus from Egypt (see Exodus
32), one of the darkest sagas in early Israelite history.
Now, those same
words become the focal point of their worship.
How could this be,
especially when the Lord, through Ahijah, told Jeroboam that he must
" ' "walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight" ' "? (1 Kings
11:38, NKJV.
Why did the Lord prohibit graven images and other kinds of
idols? Exod. 20:4; 1 Kings 21:26; Jer. 10:3-5; Ezek. 14:3-5.
The human mind apparently finds it difficult to separate permanently
a physical religious image from reality. It does not matter if the idol is a
literal graven image, a so-called statue of a saint, or a good-luck charm
worn around a person's neck. If it is given religious significance, it
could itself, eventually, become the "god" it supposedly represents.
Look at the chart to get an idea of how carefully Jeroboam developed
a plan to counterfeit just about every part of the Israelite worship
system.
Element of Worship
The temple
Physical images
Priests
Annual festivals
God's System
Deut. 12:4, 5
Exod. 20:4
Num. 3:9-12
Lev. 16:29-31
Jeroboam's System
1 Kings 12:28-30
1 Kings 12:28
1 Kings 12:31
1 Kings 12:32
Satan is the great counterfeiter. Look around; what other coun-
terfeits of Satan do you see? Do not just look at others or even
other faiths. Have some of his counterfeits infiltrated our own
lives and our own church, as well?
33
Wednesday
July 24
A DIVIDED NATION (1 Kings 14).
"But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast
gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to
anger, and hast cast me behind thy back" (1 Kings 14:9).
"And Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked him
to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that
their fathers had done" (1 Kings 14:22).
R
ead the first twenty verses of chapter 14. Just a few chapters
earlier, the Lord, through Ahijah the prophet, had told Jeroboam
that he would be king over Israel (see 1 Kings 11:29-33; 1 Kings
14:2); now, using that same prophet, He tells Jeroboam that He is
going to tear the kingdom from him.
What reason is given for such a harsh punishment against the
house of Jeroboam? 1 Kings 14:7-11.
Sadly, his blood brother in the south, Rehoboam, was not doing
much better. Nor did Abijam who followed him (1 Kings 15:1-7). Accord-
ing to the text, Judah, under Rehoboam, did worse than all their fathers
before them (1 Kings 14:22). Besides building various places of idolatry
(1 Kings 14:23), they were engaging in some of the lewder "abomina-
tions" (vs. 24) of the nations around them, acts that were, in fact, the
very things that caused the Lord to uproot them from the land to begin
with.
And now the Hebrews (who were given that land) were doing the
same thing?
Read Deuteronomy 18:9-13 and list some of the abominations prac-
ticed by the nations surrounding Israel and Judah that they were
specifically told to avoid:
Among some of the practices of the nations was male prosti-
tution, translated "perverted persons" (1 Kings 14:24, NKJV).
All this was now happening in the nation that God has raised up to
spread the truth to the world?
How could a nation, so greatly privi-
leged, degenerate so quickly? What makes us think that we are not
just as vulnerable to our own modern version of these "abomi-
nations"?
34
Thursday
July 25
THE DIVIDED KINGDOM.
"So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the
people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David?
neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, 0 Israel:
now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents"
(1 Kings 12:16).
W
hen one reads the promises and blessings made to Israel,
nothing indicates that the nation was to be divided into two
rival, even at times, warring factions. It was never part of
God's original plan for the nation to split; the split came as a result of
the people's own sins. As a result, almost overnight the nation lost
much of its empire. United, under Solomon, it was a strong, local power,
able to keep its hostile neighbors under control. After all, had not the
nation been promised, "The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up
against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against
thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways"? (Deut. 28:7). Divided,
they became two very weak, second-rate powers overnight. When they
were not fighting pagan enemies, they were fighting among themselves
(1 Kings 12:24).
In short, deviation from the explicit word of God caused the nation to
split into two kingdoms that even sporadically warred against each
other. Thus, when a united front should have been presented to accom-
plish the Lord's will in spreading the truth to a world steeped in
paganism, idolatry, and error, God's chosen nation was so weakened
with internal strife and bickering that it became easy prey for external
enemies. After accommodating pagan practices, the Israelites eventu-
ally had no protection against pagan armies.
Of course, as a church, we are not Israel, not in the sense of a
theocracy. But, like Israel, we have been called out to deliver to the
world a message that no one else is giving. Though we should not
push the parallels too far, what can we see in our own local church
today that reflects the situation back then? Is there some of the same
spirit of "What portion have we in David" among us? (1 Kings
12:16). Is some of that spirit, as it was back then, even justified? If
so, what can be done to rectify it? What are some of the issues that
are causing contention and division among us today, either as a
world church or at the local level? In what ways do these divisions
weaken our ministry to our communities? What could we learn from
the mistake of Rehoboam, when he refused to listen to the people?
What are the principles here that can help us as we struggle with
our own internal conflicts?
35
Friday
July 26
FURTHER STUDY:
T
he Lord's evaluation of Jeroboam raises the question of the rise
and fall of nations and the flow of history. Ellen White writes:
"Here it is shown that the strength of nations, as of individuals,
is not found in the opportunities or facilities that appear to make them
invincible; it is not found in their boasted greatness. It is measured by
the fidelity with which they fulfill God's
purpose."—Education,
p. 175.
Read also in the book
Education
the entire chapter entitled "History
and Prophecy," pp. 173-184, for an overview of the issue.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
Discuss this statement from
The SDA Bible Commentary
with your class: "Jeroboam's natural talents of leadership,
if dedicated to God, would enable him to do much in the
cause of right, but if not, he would do much in the cause
of wrong."—Vol. 2, p. 786:28, "Man of valour." What
does this tell us regarding not only the conditionality of
prophecy but about the conditionality of our own lives?
What promises has God made to us, personally, concerning
such things as salvation itself, that are conditional? Discuss.
2.
Someone once said that older people are just those who had
more time than younger people to be fools. In light of this
week's lesson regarding the counsel that Rehoboam re-
ceived from both the older and younger people in his king-
dom, how would you answer that statement?
3.
Erasmus wrote that if what is commanded be not in the power of
every one, then all the numerous exhortations in the Scriptures
and also all the promises and threatenings, together with all the
forms of precepts, stand coldly useless. Discuss this thought in
the light of this week's lesson. What is Erasmus saying, why do
you agree or disagree, and how does it relate to the responsibil-
ity resting on Israel's shoulders? Does it help to explain why
the punishment for their flagrant disobedience was so harsh?
36
Clothed and in His Right Mind
Charlotte Ishkanian
Gaspar Calunga was a mess. When he was not in a mental
hospital, he lived on the streets of a major Cuban city, drunk. Often
he felt like one of the demoniacs of Jesus' time. With uncut hair and
unwashed body, he wandered the streets begging for money to buy
alcohol.
One day he wandered into an Adventist church. He staggered to
the front of the sanctuary and stood on uncertain legs, conducting the
choir. A deacon invited him to sit down or step outside; he refused.
When the music ended, he sat down on a bench.
The next Sabbath Gaspar returned to church; again he was drunk.
Then Jose, a church member, saw Gaspar on the street and spoke to
him. "Come to my house," Jose invited Gaspar. Gaspar followed Jose
home. Jose gave him food and a bath, then started talking to Gaspar
about God. When Jose finished, Gaspar said, "What you say is true.
I am going to quit drinking and come to church regularly. But now
give me five pesos for a drink, so I can end my torment."
"I am a Christian," Jose said. "I cannot give you money for a drink."
A few days later Jose saw Gaspar.
"I
am drunk," Gaspar said, "but
I have not forgotten what you told me."
Gaspar continued attending church. After little more than a month
of attending church, Gaspar stopped drinking and began separating
himself from his drinking friends. A Bible worker began studying
with him. His new friends in the church encouraged him every day.
When he had been alcohol free for six months, he was baptized.
Gaspar's life now is centered on the church. He cleans and repairs
the church and often serves as night watchman. His mother is amazed
at the changes in his life. She now
attends church and is looking forward
to baptism.
Gaspar has sought out his former
drinking friends, not to drink but to
share his faith with them. One of these
friends was recently baptized. When
someone reminds him of his former life.
he responds,
"I
am not the same person.
I
never want to return to that life."
Gaspar Calunga (left). Charlotte
Ishkanian is editor of
Mission.
ASK
?AM h.
Produced by the Office of Mission
Sabbath School-Personal Ministries department of the General Conference
Email: gomission@gc.adventist.org
I
37
Lesson 5
*July 27—August 2
The Rise of the House
of Asa
(c)Qfc
Sabbath Afternoon
MEMORY TEXT: "He went out to meet Asa and said to him, 'Listen
to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when
you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you
forsake him, he will forsake you" (2 Chronicles 15:2, NIV).
G
OOD KING ASA.
First, Rehoboam reigns, then Abijam (also
known as Abijah): Who says that bad leaders are a problem
only for today?
Next comes Asa. Finally, the kingdom of Judah gains a decent
king. It needed one. By the time Asa took the throne, the religious
situation in Judah in the south (though better than in the north) called
for a dire remedy. That is exactly what Asa brought it.
This week, the lesson covers the reign of Asa, both the good and the
bad aspects. Though time does not permit us to delve into all the
details, look at the reforms Asa instituted, which include not only
eradicating false worship and ideas but promoting truth in its place.
That principle, of course, still remains today.
THE WEEK AT A GLANCE: Why does the Bible compare various
kings to David? Can we truly understand how David could be
considered "perfect"? What kind of spiritual state was Judah in
when Asa took control? What did he do to try to remedy the
problem? How was God able to use Asa, despite his own lack of
faith at times?
*Please study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, August 3.
38
Sunday
July 28
"AS WAS ... HIS FATHER DAVID": PART 1 (1 Kings 15:1-8,
(NKJV); 2 Chronicles 13).
A
fter Rehoboam's death, Abijam, his son, reigned in his place.
Abijam, clearly, was no better than his father, for "he walked
in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him"
(1 Kings 15:3).
Notice what comes next in the text: It says that the king's heart was not
loyal to God, "as was the heart of his father David" (vs. 3, NKJV).
Scripture says farther on that "David did that which was right in the eyes
of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him
all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite" (vs. 5).
Many commentators, over the centuries, have struggled with this
text and others that talk about how the Lord viewed David. First Kings
11:4 says that Solomon's heart was not "perfect with the Lord his God,
as was the heart of David his father." In contrast, 2 Chronicles
34:2 says of King Josiah that "he did that which was right in the
sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father."
How could David, who had more than his share of mistakes (be-
sides the horrible sin against Uriah), nevertheless be seen by God
as "perfect" (1 Kings 15:3) or as someone who had "done what
was right in the eyes of the Lord"? (vs. 5, NIV). How can the
following verses, perhaps, help us understand the principle here?
1 Sam. 16:7
1 Kings 8:61
1 Chron. 12:38
2 Chron. 16:9
Ps. 101:2
The key issue, it seems, is that Abijam did evil because
his heart
was
not right with the Lord. The attitude of our hearts toward God is
inevitably reflected by our works. Of course, even those whose hearts
are right, like David, can sin, even seriously. But if one's heart is right
with God, those sins are not counted against him or her. A heart right
with God is a heart that repents; it is a heart that confesses sin; a heart
that seeks victory, mercy, and grace in order to obey.
If our hearts are perfect with God, should our
works not be, as
well? If not, why not?
39
Monday
July 29
"AS WAS . . . HIS FATHER DAVID": PART 2 (1 Kings 15:3,
NKJV).
F
urope in the 1700s was a time of great intellectual ferment. The
continent had experienced a massive revolution in knowledge.
i
What changed was not only
what
people knew but their entire
understanding of what it meant to "know" something. Previously, people
"knew" only what the ancient sources and authorities had told them,
nothing more. Now, however, knowledge was based on science, on
reason, on what you could study and learn from natural phenomenon.
For many, only what one could reason out and learn from nature and
science was true; everything else was myth, or, at least, unknowable.
Fearful of the dangerous direction this attitude was taking Europe,
French Huguenot Pierre Bayle tried to stem the tide by showing the limits
of reason and by arguing that matters of faith extend beyond reason alone.
To buttress his point, he told the story of King David—a liar, an adulterer,
a murderer, a cheat—yet of whom the Lord said: "I have found David the
son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart" (Acts 13:22). How could that be
true? Bayle asked. His answer was simple: It is true, because it deals with
something beyond human reason, and that is, God's grace.
However, within a century, Voltaire took Bayle's essay about David
and, without many changes in the text, turned it around and used it as
an attack
on faith itself. Here was King David, wrote Voltaire, a liar, an
adulterer, a murderer, a cheat, yet of whom the Lord said: "I have found
David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart" (Acts 13:22). How
could that be true? Voltaire asked. His answer was simple: It cannot be,
because it is unreasonable and absurd. A man who kills, lies, cheats,
and murders cannot be someone after God's own heart.
As Christians we would side, of course, with Bayle. Voltaire's atti-
tude, in contrast, shows how far beyond the reach of human reason
alone God's grace is, especially to the unconverted. The greatest event
in all human history, the death of Jesus on the cross, is an event that
goes way beyond human reason alone. No wonder Paul talked about
the "mystery of the gospel" (Eph. 6:19). Nothing is more of a mystery
than how God can accept sinners; such as liars, adulterers, murderers,
and cheaters like David or even like ourselves.
Read carefully the following few verses: Isa. 55:8, 9;
1 Cor. 1:20-27; 2 Cor. 5:19; Eph. 1:6-9; and Phil. 2:5-8. How do
these verses help us understand what Voltaire did not?
40
Tuesday
July 30
ASA IN JERUSALEM
(see
2 Chronicles 14; 15).
"And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:
And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa,
and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be
with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye
forsake him, he will forsake you" (2 Chron. 15:1, 2).
A
fter the short, unhappy reign of Abijam in Judah (from 913-911
B.c.), Asa, his son, reigned in his stead. According to 1 Kings
15:10, he reigned 41 years in Jerusalem. It was a time of great
revival and reformation.
In the texts quoted above, a theme appears that emerges again and
again in the Bible, that of blessings for obedience, trouble for disobedi-
ence. Notice how it is phrased in the above texts. It is written differently
here than in some of the other places that teach, basically, the same
thing.
Read, for example, 1 Kings 3:14, 1 Kings 9:4-6, and 1 Kings
11:38 and compare how they are phrased in contrast to 2 Chronicles
15:1, 2. How are the ideas related? How is the idea of being
obedient to God linked to the idea of seeking Him?
Read verses 3-7 in 2 Chronicles 15. Look at the elements listed there.
Israel had been without the "true God," without a "teaching priest," and
"without law" (vs. 3). There was "no peace" to those who came in or
went out; there was great turmoil on all "the inhabitants of the lands,"
and that included war (vs. 5, NKJV). Sounds like nothing but trouble. In
fact, it was trouble, and in their trouble, the kingdom of Judah sought
the Lord, and He was "`found by them"' (vs. 4, NKJV).
How often this principle is seen. We bring trouble upon ourselves
because of disobedience, and out of that trouble we seek the Lord, who
will never turn us away if we come back in faith and repentance. How
much better it would be for all of us, both as a church and as individuals,
to stay faithful from the start, thus avoiding the suffering that brings us
back to where we should have been all along.
In 2 Chronicles 15:2, the Lord says that if you forsake the Lord,
"he will forsake you." How do you understand what it means when
God
forsakes
someone? Does it mean that He totally abandons
him or her, with no more interest in what he or she does? Or,
perhaps, does it mean He abandons an individual as a result of
his or her deeds? How do you understand the concept?
41
Wednesday
July 31
ASA'S REFORMS (1 Kings 15:9-15; 2 Chron. 15:8-17).
T
he chronology of Asa is complicated, but he was apparently
quite young when he came to the throne, which may account for
the continuing influence of Maachah, the queen mother.
During the first fifteen years of his reign, Asa initiated a movement
to restore the worship of Jehovah in Judah. Among the things he
did were the following: He banished the religious practice of male
prostitution; he removed all the idols in the land (1 Kings 15:12); he
removed his own mother (or grandmother) from being queen because
of her wrong practices (1 Kings 15:13); and he restored the altar of the
Lord (2 Chron. 15:8).
All these outward practices, however, would be of no avail if the
hearts of the people were not right, or not "perfect" toward the Lord.
That is why, perhaps, of all the things that Asa did, none was more
important than what was recorded in 2 Chronicles 15:9-15.
Read carefully 2 Chronicles 15:9-15. What is going on there?
What was Asa trying to do? Notice how many times the texts talk
about their hearts. Why, without change inside the people them-
selves, would all their other outward actions ultimately fail?
Notice verse 13 in regard to his mother. What do his actions
imply regarding the limits that even close family ties must have
when contrasted with obeying the commands of the Lord? See
also Luke 14:26.
How fascinating, too, that Asa's heart is said to be "perfect" with
the Lord, even if his actions weren't. He did many good things, that's
clear, but he didn't do everything the Lord wanted him to. The high
places weren't removed, something that he should have done as king.
"Nevertheless," the text says that "Asa's heart was perfect with the
Lord all his days."
Clearly, then, whatever having a heart perfect for the Lord means, it
doesn't mean perfection of action, as in sinlessness.
42
Thursday
August 1
ASA'S BLUNDERS (2 Chronicles 16).
"And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the
Lord his God: For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and
the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the
groves" (2 Chron. 14:2, 3).
"The heart of Asa was loyal all his days" (2 Chron. 15:17, NKJV).
T
hough depicted as loyal to the Lord, Asa had displayed some
weaknesses that Satan exploited (Don't we all?). In 2 Chronicles
16, Baasha, king of Israel, invaded Judah; Asa, who in a previous
military crisis (see 2 Chron. 14:9-13) trusted in the Lord, instead made a
pact with a pagan king, Ben-Hadad of Syria. When rebuked by the
prophet Hanani for his lack of trust (2 Chron. 16:7, 8), Asa, instead of
humbly accepting the rebuke, acted in a manner more befitting some of
his predecessors.
What did this king, who had been deemed loyal "all his days"
(2 Chron. 15:17), do in response to the rebuke? See 2 Chron.
16:10. What were some of the other consequences of Asa's ac-
tions? See also 2 Chron. 16:9.
Toward the end of his life, after he had been stricken with a disease,
Asa did not seek the Lord but, instead, sought out the physicians
(vs. 12), another apparent lapse of faith on his part.
The following verse, perhaps, gives a hint regarding how God
could call Asa loyal, even though Asa still shows a lack of faith at
times: "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole
earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is
perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from
henceforth thou shalt have wars" (2 Chron. 16:9). The text says that
"Herein
thou hast done foolishly" (emphasis supplied). In other words,
the Lord pointed to this specific incident, as opposed to the tenor of
Asa's whole life, which had been one of a heart "perfect" toward Him.
Though Asa acted foolishly here, with some unfortunate results, He
was still considered loyal to the Lord.
Second Chronicles records Asa's last act as one in which he
showed lack of faith. Asa then dies.
Yet, he's recorded as having
been loyal?
What lesson can we learn from this story? At the same
time, what conclusions would be dangerous to draw from it?
43
Friday
August 2
FURTHER STUDY:
R
ead the following portraits of Asa:
Asa No. 1.
"The faith of
Asa was put to a severe test when `Zerah the Ethiopian' . . .
invaded his kingdom. . . . In this crisis Asa did not put his trust
in the 'fenced cities in Judah' that he had built, . . . nor in the 'mighty
men of valor' in his carefully trained army. . . . Setting his forces in
battle array, he sought the help of God. . . .
"But in time of peace Asa . . . had been preparing for any emer-
gency. He had an army trained for conflict; he had endeavored to lead
his people to make their peace with God. And now . . . his faith in the
One whom he had made his trust did not weaken."—Ellen G. White,
Prophets and Kings,
pp. 110, 111.
Asa No. 2.
"Asa was angry with the seer because of this; he was so
enraged that he put him in prison. At the same time Asa brutally
oppressed some of the people. In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa
was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe,
even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the
physicians" (2 Chron. 16:10, 12, NIV).
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
Discuss with the class Asa No. 1 and Asa No. 2. How is it
possible to lead a revival as Asa did and then get so upset when
personally rebuked?
2.
Evaluate the effects of
Asa's
reform movement. This
was
one of
the most extensive reformations in Judah's history. What was
one of the weak points that allowed the revival to lapse?
3.
Asa's reforms did not spare his own mother (grandmother?)
from being dethroned. How does one square away that with the
command to honor one's father and mother, espepially when the
commandment does not specify that the father and mother need
to be loyal, faithful followers of the Lord?
4.
Read 2 Chronicles 15:13. How does one understand that com-
mand with the concept of religious liberty? Or is it even unfair
to use the example of ancient Israel, a theocracy, to discuss
modern notions of religious liberty?
44
.1111
1
C,Allik
The Dry Fleece
Nettie rented a room from a Muslim family while she studied in
Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa. Her landlord did his best to make her
comfortable. Often during the rainy season, the metal roof over her
bedroom leaked in spite of the landlord's attempts to repair it. When it
rained, she simply moved her bed to a dry spot and set out pots to
collect the water. It was inconvenient, but she did not mind.
Nettie was a new believer, and the truths she was learning about
God set her heart afire.
One evening at prayer meeting the believers had just divided into
groups to pray when Nettie heard raindrops falling on the roof, slowly
at first, then rapidly until the rain beat so heavily that it almost
drowned out the voices praying around her.
Nettie remembered that she had left her books lying open on her
bed and the floor. Some were books she had borrowed from the friend
who had led her to Christ. The books would be ruined by the rain!
There was no time to run home and rescue the books. She could only
whisper "Lord, remember my room."
By the time the group had finished praying, the rain had stopped.
Nettie hurried home to salvage what she could of the books and dry out
her room.
How would she ever be able to replace the books she knew
must be ruined? she wondered.
As she entered the house, she saw pots scattered across the floor of
the main room, which seldom had a problem with leaks.
If there is so
much water in the living room, what will I find in my room?
Nettie dodged the drips and hurried toward her room. She opened
the door and turned on the light, but she saw no evidence of water. She
knelt down to feel the carpet. It was dry. She touched the books. They
were dry! Everything was as she had left it in the morning.
Nettie called her landlord, "Uncle, come and see!" When he ar-
rived, she pointed excitedly, "Look! It did not rain in my room!"
He surveyed the dry carpet and shouted, "Allah is great!"
"Yes," Nettie said. "God
is
great!" Then Nettie told him that when
the rain started, she had prayed that God would keep her books dry.
Nettie did not know the story of Gideon's fleece, but God had shown
her that Gideon's God is still in the business of answering prayers. Nettie
shared her story the following night during testimony time.
Nettie has since been baptized. She knows that God can and does
work miracles for His children today, just as he did in Bible times.
Nettie is a pseudonym. The author wants God alone to receive the
glory for her testimony. Nettie continues studying computer science.
Produced by the Office of
Mission
Sabbath School-Personal Ministries department of the General Conference
Email: gomission@gc.adventist.org
45
Lesson 6
*August 3-9
Apostasy in the North
Sabbath Afternoon
NI EMORY TEXT: "Elijah went before the people and said, 'How long
will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him;
but if Baal is God, follow him'(1 Kings 18:21, NIV).
T
HE LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY ... AND
BLOOD.
We last left off with the northern kingdom of Israel
after Jeroboam, who, having split Israel from Judah, forged
golden calves, constructed idols, and did "more evil than all who were
before" him (1 Kings 14:9, NKJV). After his death, he was succeeded by
his son Nadab (910-909 B.c.), who also did "evil in the sight of the
Lord" (1 Kings 15:26). Nadab was soon murdered by Baasha, who, after
taking the throne, walked in all the sins of Jeroboam and who caused
Israel to sin (1 Kings 16:2). After Baasha died (886 B.c.), Elah his son
(another corrupt ruler) took the throne but was murdered by Zimri, who
reigned only seven days (1 Kings 16:15), before burning himself to
death rather than surrendering to the Israelite army. Enraged over the
murder of Elah, the Israelite army revolted and placed Omri, the com-
mander of the army, on the throne (1 Kings 16:8-20).
That is the good news. The bad news is that, under the house of
Omri, things start to go bad.
THE WEEK AT A GLANCE: What was the history of the house of Omri?
What kind of false religion did Ahab bring to Israel? What was the role
of Elijah? What can we learn from the struggle at Mount Carmel?
*Please study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, August 10.
46
Sunday
August 4
THE RISE OF THE HOUSE OF OMRI (1 Kings 16).
T
he dates for the entire dynasty of Omri are from about 885 B.C.
to around 841 B.C.,
44
years, one-fifth of the entire existence of
Israel as a nation.
The outstanding characteristic of the dynasty of Omri is the con-
stant repetition of the phrase that each successive ruler "did more evil
in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him" (1 Kings 16:30,
NIV). Probably the worst epitaph used is that Ahab "considered it
trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam" (1 Kings 16:31, NIV).
As commanding general of the Israelite army, Omri took over the
kingdom after a four-year struggle with Tibni. Omri is the first He-
brew king mentioned in archaeological records outside the Bible, on
the Moabite Stone, which said that Omri, king of Israel, had oppressed
Moab for many days, for Kemosh was angry with his land.
Omri established a powerful dynasty and made Samaria the capital
city. Years after his death, Assyrian leaders still called Israelite kings
"Sons of Omri."
THE OMRIDE DYNASTY
King's Name
Who Was He?
Length of
Reign
Omri
Founder of the dynasty
12 years
Ahab
Omri's son
22 years
Ahaziah
Ahab's son
2 years
Jehoram (Joram)
Ahab's son
12 years
Read 1 Kings 16:25, 26: "But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of
the Lord, and did worse than all that were before him. For he
walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his
sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the Lord God of
Israel to anger with their vanities."
The key thought here is this notion that he "made Israel to sin."
It is a pretty direct translation from a Hebrew verb, "to cause to
sin." How do we understand this phrase? Can someone really cause
another person, or even a whole nation, to sin? The text implies that
a certain amount of guilt and responsibility belong to the kings, and
that is understandable, considering their role; but can anyone cause,
as in force, someone to sin who ultimately does not want to? Who,
in the end, ultimately is responsible for sin? At the same time, can
we be held accountable for other people's sin?
47
Monday
August 5
AHAB REIGNS IN ISRAEL (1 Kings 16:29-34).
I
f Omri were not bad enough, his son Ahab, who ascended to the
throne in 874
B.C.,
has been immortalized for evil. No question,
though, his biggest problem arose from his wife, a pagan princess
from Phoenicia who determined that her pagan faith, which included
the worship of Baal, dominate in Israel. Ahab seemed more than
happy to oblige, though the names of his two sons—Ahaziah, "The
Lord grasps," and Joram, "The Lord is exalted"—suggest that, perhaps,
he did not intend to replace the worship of Jehovah with the worship of
Baal but simply to meld both faiths together.
If, indeed, Ahab simply wanted a mixture of Baal worship and that
of Jehovah, why would that be so bad? Suppose he was able to find
common ground in certain areas and stressed those common grounds.
Would that be acceptable? Why, or why not? Can you see any example
in the church today of an attempt to meld aspects of our faith with
others? If so, in what ways, and is that always bad? If so, explain why?
The Canaanite religions were some of the most depraved of the
time. To prompt the gods to action, worshipers performed sexual acts,
and the Baal shrines were staffed with male and female attendants for
this purpose. "Through the influence of Jezebel and her impious
priests, the people were taught that the idol gods that had been set up
were deities, ruling by their mystic power the elements of earth, fire,
and water."—Ellen G. White,
Conflict and Courage,
p. 204.
"By bringing from her homeland hundreds of cult personnel
of Baal and Asherah, by introducing the rites of the Canaanite
cult system and by persecuting and killing the worshippers of
Yahweh, Jezebel caused a religious crisis of the first magni-
tude (1 Kings 18:4, 19)."—Siegfried Horn,
Ancient Israel: A
Short History from Abraham to the Roman Destruction of
the Temple,
ed: Hershel Shanks (Washington, D.C.: Biblical
Archaeological Society, 1988), p. 121.
In the context of today's lesson, read Romans 1:24, 25 and ask,
What is it about humans that we seek to worship the creature more
than the Creator? In fact, even in today's world, without such crass
idolatry in most places, how is the same principle of idolatry being
manifested? In what ways can we, even in the Seventh-day Adventist
Church, be subtly caught up in this perennial problem?
48
Tuesday
August 6
THE ADVENT OF ELIJAH (1 Kings 17:1-9).
"Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he
prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the
earth by the space of three years and six months" (James 5:17).
I
magine that you are king of Israel (a fairly "successful" one at that
point), when, one day, apparently out of nowhere, some farm boy
appears, stands before your throne, and announces, " 'As the Lord
God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor
rain these years, except at my word' " (1 Kings 17:1, NKJV). Then,
before you know it, he is gone. At first, you might have been tempted
to dismiss him as some kook or fanatic (after all, claiming that it
would not rain except at "my word" does sound a bit much)—that is,
until it, in fact, stops raining, to the point that there is, indeed, a
famine in the land.
Read Deuteronomy 11:16, 17; 28:23, 24; Leviticus 26:19. In light
of these texts, however bold and brash Elijah's words were, why should
they not have come as a surprise to the king?
The name
Elijah
means "my God is Jehovah," which is ap-
propriate, considering the battle that he was engaged in.
After Elijah made his warning to Ahab, he is told by the Lord to flee
to Brook Cherith, and there he could drink from the brook, and there the
ravens (by God's miraculous command) would feed him. Thus, his water
came from something natural (the river), his food from something super-
natural (the ravens). Eventually, the water of the brook dries up "because
there had been no rain in the land" (1 Kings 17:7, NKJV). Food from the
ravens was fine, but if Elijah did not find water, he would soon be dead.
How many of us have ever been in a similar situation: One of
seeing the miraculous providence of God at work in our lives while at
the same time struggling with what appears to be a "natural" turn of
events that does not seem to be working in our favor or that, in fact,
seems to be undermining the providence of God? Think of similar
examples from biblical history where the same thing happens. For
instance, God called Abram to the Promised Land, and when he
arrives there, he faces a famine (Genesis 12); and the children of
Israel, right after the miraculous deliverance from Egypt, face thirst
(Exod. 15:22-24). What lessons can we learn from these experiences?
49
Wednesday
August
7
CLIMAX AT CARMEL (1 Kings 18).
R
ead the story of the confrontation on Mount Carmel and
answer the following questions:
1.
Why was Obadiah so frightened to do what Elijah had asked him
to do? What previous events gave him reason to be scared of the king?
2.
What was Ahab's first reaction to Elijah when he appeared before
him, and why was it so typical? What other examples can you find in the
Bible of the same principle, that of blaming others for your own sins?
3.
Read Elijah's question to the people in verse 21. What does it
imply regarding the kind of worship that was practiced in Israel?
In other words, was it pure paganism or a mixture of both?
4.
Why did Elijah mock the prophets of Baal? Was there any need
for that verbal barrage or, perhaps, was it his own personality and
frustration coming through?
5.
Notice the time that Elijah chose to call upon the Lord to respond
from heaven and vindicate His name and power. What was significant
about that specific time of the day?
6.
Why was the punishment so harsh against the prophets of Baal?
After all, they were following only the beliefs of their religion. Why
should they be put to death for their beliefs, which—considering their
actions on the altar (vs. 28)—they held sincerely?
7.
The story of Elijah on Carmel is one of the more popular ones in
the Hebrew Bible. Clearly, the principles derived from it are simple
enough: We should not worship false gods but only the true One, the
"Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel" (vs. 36), the Creator of
heaven and earth. The question remains, however: What can we, today,
learn from it? In other words, how often are we put in situations so
dramatic and clear as this? How often are we ever confronted with truth
and error in such stark, unmistakable terms? How often do we expect
fire from heaven to come down and devour sacrifices, wood, stone, and
dust when a voice from heaven would be more than enough?
50
Thursday
August 8
JEZEBEL (1 Kings 19:1-18).
"And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he
had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messen-
ger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do
to me,
and more also, if I
make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this
time" (1 Kings 19:1, 2).
O
ur
God is a God of mercy, of forgiveness, of unimaginable grace.
At the Cross, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for the sins of the
world. All our lies, our greed, our envy, our lust, our pride, our
cheating, our selfishness, and all the nasty and dirty little things we have
thought and done were brought to the Cross. All the things were brought
to the Cross that by themselves might not seem so bad but, if gathered
together, added up, and shoved in our faces, would cause us to beat our
breasts in woe. All of them were there, at the Cross, killing Christ so
that when all the evil moments of our life are tallied and weighed, they
do not have to ultimately, and forever, kill us. Talk about grace!
Read each of the following verses and write down what they say
about salvation and grace:
John 3:16, 17
Rom. 5:6
1 John 2:2
In this context, look at the reaction of Jezebel; that is,
after
Ahab had
told her what happened at Mount Carmel. One would think that after
such a powerful manifestation of the power of the true God, Jezebel
would have, at best, converted, repented, and sought forgiveness from
the God who had so completely devastated her gods; at worst, she
would have thought, perhaps, it would be best to leave town and leave
Elijah alone.
Instead, what happened?
Perhaps none of us has ever been so close to something like
that day at Carmel. Perhaps there is no need for us to be con-
vinced of God's power in such a dramatic fashion (after all, look
what good it did Jezebel). Nevertheless, we all need to be careful
not to allow our hearts to be so hard that, even in the face of
God's incredible grace, we turn our backs on the Lord. How can
we protect ourselves from doing, at least in principle, what
Jezebel has done in reality?
51
Friday
August 9
FURTHER STUDY:
F
or additional information on the religious and cult practices of the
Canaanites, see
The SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
1, pp. 126, 129,
162; vol. 2, pp. 38-40, and the additional note on Joshua 6.
History teaches that the peoples on the eastern seaboard of the
Mediterranean were as corrupt and depraved as any nation that ever
existed. They made a religion of lust. They sent their children into the
fires of the god Molech. Leviticus 18 presents briefly something of the
moral rebellion of the Canaanites. The imagination and a little knowl-
edge of history supply the rest. According to the Bible, the Canaanites
were so vile that the very land did "spue" them out (see Lev. 18:28).
No wonder the Lord was so firm with Israel that they not be contami-
nated with that religion.
"The priests of Baal witness with consternation the wonderful rev-
elation of Jehovah's power. Yet even in their discomfiture and in the
presence of divine glory, they refuse to repent of their evil-doing. They
would still remain the prophets of Baal. Thus they showed themselves
ripe for destruction. That repentant Israel may be protected from the
allurements of those who have taught them to worship Baal, Elijah is
directed by the Lord to destroy these false teachers. The anger of the
people has already been aroused against the leaders in transgression;
and when Elijah gives the command, 'Take the prophets of Baal; let not
one of them escape,' they are ready to obey. They seize the priests, and
take them to the brook Kishon, and there, before the close of the day
that marked the beginning of decided reform, the ministers of Baal are
slain. Not one is permitted to live."—Ellen G. White,
Prophets and
Kings,
pp. 153, 154.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
Read the story in 1 Kings 17:8-24. Why was this included in
the account of Elijah's life? Could these incidents have
happened in order to help prepare Elijah for the test at
Mount Carmel?
2.
Baasha came to power only after he had murdered Nadab
(see 1 Kings 15:25-28). In light of that event, how does one
interpret 1 Kings 16:2, in which the Lord says to Baasha
that " 'Inasmuch as I lifted you out of the dust and made
you ruler over My people Israel' "? (NKJV). Is this how
God puts His people on thrones? How do we understand
what that text means?
52
Al\
Reluctant Rebel
J. H. Zachary
When Felix was a teenager, Protestant pastors occasionally came
to speak at his school. Several times the students chased the pastors
out of the village, and sometimes Felix joined them. But he could not
deny that these pastors were different from the religious leaders he
knew.
After high school, Felix started a little business, but it went
bankrupt. Felix felt a great emptiness in his life. With time on his
hands, he thought a lot about spiritual matters. He remembered the
pastors that he had helped drive out of the village. What made them
different? He remembered the importance these pastors placed on the
Bible.
Felix bought a Bible and began to read it, searching for spiritual
meaning to life. One day he passed a public meeting held by a Protes-
tant group. He stopped to listen and decided to attend the meetings. He
arranged for studies and planned to join this church. But before he
could join, an elderly Adventist neighbor invited him to evangelistic
meetings in town. Felix decided against attending the Adventist meet-
ings, since he had found another church.
The Adventist meetings were held close to Felix's home, and he
could hear the preacher from his front porch. Felix noticed that the
pastor quoted many Bible texts. Felix began following the pastor's
study in his own Bible. Night after night he listened from his porch.
When the message on the Sabbath was presented, Felix felt strong
conviction. He left home and walked to the meeting. He arrived just as
the pastor made an altar call. Felix never took his seat, but walked
straight to the front in response to the pastor's invitation.
When Felix returned home, he told his brother with whom he was
living about what he had learned from the Bible. He was surprised at
his brothers strong resistance to his attending these meetings.
Felix decided to return to his par-
ents' home. He knew that they would
not resist his decision to follow Christ.
Felix has been baptized and has found
peace and happiness in working for God
as a literature evangelist.
Felix Kansamugire (left). J. H.
Zachary is coordinator of international
evangelism for The Quiet Hour and a
special consultant for the General
Conference Ministerial Association.
I
Produced by the Office of Mission
Sabbath School-Personal Ministries department of the General Conference
53
11. •
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BUILD IT
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Myanmar
is
a predominately Buddhist country of almost
50 million people. The current government of the land,
formerly known as Burma, restricts evangelistic efforts to
church-owned property.
The Myanmar Union Mission plans to construct an
evangelistic center
on one
of the main thoroughfares in the
capital city of Yangon. There they can offer cooking classes,
family life seminars, and evangelistic outreach,
as well as hold regular worship services.
Help build it so they can
come.
Read
MISSI
The Thirteenth Sabbath Offering on September 28
supports projects in the Southern Asia-Pacific Division.
Lesson 7
*August 10-16
The Good and the Bad
Days of King Jehoshaphat
in Judah
Sabbath Afternoon
MEMORY TEXT: "Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be
established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper" (2 Chronicles
20:20).
jr
EHOSHAPHAT IN JUDAH.
Nothing is boring about the days of
King Jehoshaphat in Judah. His reign from 872-848
B.C.
is
filled with spiritual highs and lows, moments of great success fol-
lowed by disaster. Who of us can, in some ways, relate?
What is most interesting about this week's lesson are, in fact, the ups
and downs of this Judean ruler. As you study the biblical texts, ask
yourself, How can someone go from one extreme to another and then
back again? What were the circumstances that caused him to waver as he
did? What lessons can we learn from his highs and lows? Whatever the
causes of his spiritual journey, his story presents an interesting case
study that, probably, in some ways, reflects the spiritual walk of all of us.
THE WEEK AT A GLANCE: Why was King Jehoshaphat praised in the
Bible? What formed the foundation and basis of his early attempt to
bring a revival and reformation to Judah? How well did he succeed?
What mistake did he make early on, and what were the results? What
was the basis of his judicial reforms? What threat did Judah face right
after the reforms went into effect? What was the key to the people's
successful defense against this threat? How can we apply the prin-
ciples behind these stories to our own lives and experiences?
*Please study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, August 17.
56
Sunday
August 11
JEHOSHAPHAT IN JUDAH (2 Chron. 17:1-6).
T
he first six verses of chapter 17 say so much. God was with
Jehoshaphat, not because Jehoshaphat was divinely chosen
even before his birth, not because he had great leadership skills,
not because of some inherited tendencies to goodness but simply
because the king obeyed, walking in the "ways of his father David"
(vs. 3).
Here, too, is revealed what has also been called the "blessing/
retribution" motif, outlined so clearly in the book of Deuteronomy (see
especially chapter 28) and appearing again and again in the Kings-
Chronicles saga. What it means is this: If the people obey, they will be
blessed; if they disobey, they will suffer retribution.
It does not get any simpler.
How does the "blessing/retribution" principle apply today, to us in
our own personal lives, or to us as a church? Though we would not
apply, for example, the blessings and curses of Deuteronomy 28 liter-
ally to our church or to ourselves, how is the principle applicable still?
Look at the following texts from the New Testament. In what
ways
can
you find this "blessing/retribution" motif there?
Matt. 23:37-39
Gal. 6:7, 8
Phil. 3:16-19
Heb. 2:1-3
Perhaps the most exciting verse in 2 Chronicles 17 is verse 6,
which reads in the Hebrew: "And his heart was lifted up in the ways
of the Lord." Though the Hebrew word for "lifted up" often carries a
negative meaning, that of arrogance, here it refers to something
positive. The heart of Jehoshaphat was lifted up; that is, it exalted
and rejoiced in the ways of the Lord. In other words, he was happy to
do God's will. Perhaps he had seen the devastation that disobedience
had caused, both to the nation as a whole or in individual lives.
Whatever the reason, no doubt he could proclaim with David: "I
delight to do thy will,
0
my God: yea, thy law is within my heart"
(Ps. 40:8).
A key to having our hearts "lifted up in the
ways
of the Lord"
(2 Chron. 17:6) is found in the just-quoted psalm. What is that key,
and how can we experience that joy ourselves? See also Jer. 31:33.
57
Monday
August 12
THE BOOK OF THE LAW OF THE LORD (2 Chron. 17:7-10).
"And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the
Lord with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah,
and taught the people" (2 Chron. 17:9).
A
king, alone, does not make a revival and reformation. Jehoshaphat,
apparently, knew that whatever changes he wanted to make,
however much he desired to have God's blessings upon his
nation—he could not do it alone. Thus, the text specifies that he sent
teachers throughout the land with the "Book of the Law." Though
commentators are not sure which specific book or books were used, the
point is that the Written Word, the Scriptures, were at the basis of this
revival and reformation.
How do you understand the role of the Scriptures here when con-
trasted with Jesus' words: "Search the scriptures; for in them ye
think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me"?
(John 5:39)? Are the Scriptures an end in themselves or the means
to an end? If a means to an end, what is that end?
Jehoshaphat's heart was right with the Lord; as a result, he obeyed.
His faith was manifested by his works, as
must
always be the case for
those who claim to have a saving faith: "Even so faith, if it hath not
works, is dead, being alone" (James 2:17).
Indeed, because we are saved by faith and not by works, it does not
mean that works have nothing to do with saving faith, as the case of
Jehoshaphat shows. That we can never trust in our good works for
salvation does not mean that works do not play a part in the experience
of salvation. Works are an outward expression of an inward relation-
ship with our Creator and Redeemer. Works express faith, works are the
personification of faith, works are the heart and soul of faith, works are
the human manifestation of faith. Works are faith made real, belief made
tangible, our words and profession made flesh. Works are a means of
expressing, even strengthening, faith, Jehoshaphat being a great ex-
ample of this crucial spiritual reality.
Read through the first nine verses of 1 Kings 17. Take note of
the works that Jehoshaphat performed because of his faith.
Notice that it involved two aspects: that of doing certain things,
as well as of stopping certain things from being done. Applying
that principle to your own life, answer this: You say you have
faith—but what about your works?
58
Tuesday
August 13
" 'IS THERE NOT STILL A PROPHET OF THE LORD
HERE' "? (2 Chronicles 18; NKJV; 19:1-3).
T
his has to be one of the most bizarre stories in the Old Testament.
First, Jehoshaphat, who "sought the God of his father" (2 Chron.
17:4, NKJV), marries his son Jehoram to Athaliah, daughter of
Ahab (that is
the
Ahab, as in Jezebel's husband) in order to help cement
a political alliance, a move that "was not in the order of God" (Ellen G.
White,
Prophets and Kings,
p. 195). Next, he agrees to form a military
alliance with Ahab against Ramoth Gilead, another move that God did
not approve. However, perhaps feeling some unease, Jehoshaphat wants
to know if the Lord will be with them before going to war. Four hundred
prophets in the north tell him "Go" (2 Chron. 18:5). Unconvinced by the
chorus of pagan shamans, Jehoshaphat asks, " 'Is there not still a
prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of Him?' " (vs. 6, NKJV).
Micaiah, a prophet of the Lord, is brought before them. At first, he tells
Ahab what he thinks Ahab wants to hear. Ahab, probably detecting the
sarcasm, demands to be told the truth. Micaiah obliges and says specifi-
cally that they should not fight. Ahab, angry, has Micaiah tossed into
jail. Meanwhile, Jehoshaphat, though he heard the warning from the
Lord, goes to war anyway. Before they fight, Ahab disguises himself
but tells Jehoshaphat to fight in his royal robes. For whatever reason,
Jehoshaphat agrees, and in the battle, he is surrounded by the enemy
that is about to kill him when he cries out for deliverance, and "the Lord
helped him; and God moved them to depart from him" (vs. 31). Later, a
random shot from a Syrian bow kills Ahab. Jehoshaphat returns home,
where he is rebuked by Jehu the son of Hanani the seer, who says,
"'Therefore the wrath of the Lord is upon you"' (2 Chron. 19:2, NKJV).
Read through 2 Chronicles 18 and write down all the wrong things
that Jehoshaphat said and did; contrast them with all the good things
he said and did. What conclusions can you draw from the comparison?
What could have prompted Jehoshaphat to have made the doomed
alliance with Ahab to begin with? See 2 Chron. 18:1-3.
Compare 2 Chronicles 18:1
with 1 Kings 3:1. What parallels exist?
Look at Jehu's rebuke (2 Chron. 19:1-3). What did he mean by
saying, " 'Should you help the wicked and love those who hate
the Lord?' " (NKJV). What principle is seen there, and how can
we apply
it
in
our own lives?
59
Wednesday
August 14
THE JUDICIAL REFORMS OF JEHOSHAPHAT (2 Chron.19:4-11).
T
hough Scripture does not say, Jehoshaphat, rebuked for his
previous folly (the military alliance with Ahab), probably deter-
mined to follow the Lord more than ever, which could explain his
desire to reform the nation's legal system according to God's will.
Whatever the reason, Jehoshaphat decided that the court system needed
a major overhaul.
Describe Jehoshaphat's judicial reforms (2 Chron. 19:4-11). Com-
pare these reforms with the instructions in Deuteronomy 16:18-
20; 17:8-13.
The emphasis of the judicial reformation was on the moral values of
the system. " 'Consider carefully what you do' " (2 Chron. 19:6, NIV),
" 'judge carefully' " (vs. 7, NIV), " 'no injustice or partiality or bribery' "
(vs. 7, NIV), " 'serve faithfully' " (vs. 9, NIV), " 'warn them not to sin
against the Lord' " (vs. 10, NIV), and " 'act with courage' " (vs. 11, NIV).
Look carefully at verse 7. What is Jehoshaphat saying here? What
do the following verses say that help us understand the principle that
Jehoshaphat was trying to teach the judges?
Deut. 10:17
Job 34:19
Eph.
6:9
1 Pet. 1:17
Obviously, the Lord wanted the judges to reflect the character of
Himself, that of being impartial and fair with those whom they needed
to judge.
Look carefully at verse 10 of 2 Chronicles 19. Notice what Jehoshaphat
is telling these leaders: In the cases that you hear, you must warn the
people about the consequences of their sins or else you will also be
held accountable, and wrath will come upon you, as well.
Most of us, of course, are not professional jurists; we all, how-
ever, find ourselves in positions where we can be tempted—either by
"bribes" or by the lure of money or of power or position—to be unfair
in how we treat others. How can we fortify our minds so we do not get
caught in that common pitfall?
60
Thursday
August 15
" ' "THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS, BUT GOD'S" ' "
(2 Chronicles 20, NKJV).
C
hapter 20 begins on an interesting note: "It happened after this"
(NKJV), meaning that after Jehoshaphat instituted all these good
reforms, the nations faced a great threat. In other words, right
after the king and the nation started to better serve the Lord, they were
confronted with a test of faith. How many people, even in their personal
lives, can attest to the same thing happening to them?
What did Jehoshaphat and the nation do in response to the crisis?
The king feared (vs. 3), he sought the Lord (vs. 3), he proclaimed a fast
(vs. 3), he gathered the nation together (vs. 4), he prayed (vss. 5-13), he
and the nation worshiped (vs. 18), and then the people praised the Lord
(vss. 19-21). Now they were ready for whatever was coming.
"Jehoshaphat was a man of courage and valor. . . . He was well
prepared to meet almost any foe; yet in this crisis he put not his trust in
the arm of flesh . . . [instead of in] a living faith in the God of Israel."
—Ellen G. White,
Prophets and Kings,
pp. 198, 199.
Read verse 4 of 2 Chronicles 20, which says that the people
came "to seek the Lord." How did they seek the Lord? What does
it mean "to seek the Lord"? How can we, today, seek the Lord?
Write down practical steps that we can take in our own lives as we
seek the Lord:
Read Jehoshaphat's prayer (vss. 6-12). Of all that he says, two major
points come through: the power of God and the weakness of the people.
Notice the difference here in Jehoshaphat's attitude and actions com-
pared to Ahab's and the ill-fated battle against Ramoth-Gilead.
"Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, 0 Judah, and ye inhabit-
ants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be
established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper" (2 Chron.
20:20). Think of examples in your own life and experience where you
have seen this promise fulfilled. At the same time, have you had
experiences where it seemed that it
was not
fulfilled? Or, is it
possible that our concept of what it means to be "established" or what
it means to "prosper" needs revising? Discuss.
61
Friday
August 16
FURTHER STUDY:
j
ehoshaphat's reform movement did much good in Judah. He elimi-
nated most of the high places and destroyed the practice of male
prostitution that was part of Baal worship (1 Kings 22:46). He was a
good military leader and a good politician who ran the country well.
"Throughout the kingdom the people were in need of instruction in the
law of God. In an understanding of this law lay their safety; by conform-
ing their lives to its requirements they would become loyal both to God
and to man. Knowing this, Jehoshaphat took steps to ensure to his
people thorough instruction in the Holy Scriptures. . . . And as many
endeavored to understand God's requirements and to put away sin, a
revival was effected."—Ellen G. White,
Prophets and Kings,
p. 191.
Jehoshaphat tried his hand at overseas commercial ventures (1 Kings
22:48) but without much success, primarily because it was a joint
venture with people of whom God did not approve.
He redid the judicial system in Judah and established just laws for all
(2 Chron. 19:4-11). Overall, the Lord commended him for what he did
(2 Chron. 19:3).
For instance, Ellen White comments on his reaction to the attack by
the southern coalition recorded in 2 Chronicles 20: "In conformity to the
divine requirements there is a transforming power that brings peace and
good will among men. If the teachings of God's word were made the
controlling influence in the life of every man and woman, . . . the evils
that now exist in national and in social life would find no place."
—Prophets and Kings,
p. 192.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
Read 2 Chronicles 20:33. How do you understand what that
says in light of the successful battle against the southern
coalition? In other words, can a people have some spiritual
successes, yet at the same time truly not be converted to the
Lord? Discuss.
2.
The reign of Jehoshaphat reveals, again, a crucial principle:
People do not have to be perfect in order to be used by the Lord.
What, though, makes the difference, say, between a Jehoshaphat,
who is commended by God, and a Rehoboam, who is condemned?
Is there a fine line there, or something much more profound?
3.
Discuss more this idea of a heart that takes delight "in the
ways
of the Lord." How does a person reach the point where he or she
delights in doing God's will? How does an understanding of
what happened at the Cross play a crucial role in someone
coming to that spiritual level?
62
4111
1
K,Allk
Radio Voice Stops a Murder
Don Jacobsen
What could lead a mother to kill herself and her own daughter?
Maria* was desperate. A single mother living in Peru, she worked
long hours to provide for her teenage daughter, Angela,* and herself.
Maria worried as her innocent child became a rebellious teenager.
Maria seemed powerless to change the path Angela's life was taking.
Angela stayed out night after night, rebelling against Maria's values.
Then it happened. Maria noticed Angela's health was failing. She
tried to deny it, but the truth was evident: Her daughter had contracted
AIDS. Heartbroken, Maria sought help to reverse her daughter's
disease, but she found no help. Angela's health continued to decline
until she was bedridden in great pain.
Maria was so depressed and heartsick that she could see only one
way out. Desperate, she decided to end her daughter's pain by killing
her, then turn the gun on herself and end her own life. She purchased a
gun and hid it in a desk drawer, awaiting the day that she had appointed
for the murders.
On the given day, Maria opened the desk drawer and removed the
gun. But then something happened that changed her mind. Maria
explains in her own words.
"I don't believe in miracles, but this morning, as I prepared to carry
out my plan, an extraordinary thing happened. As I opened my desk
and removed the revolver, the clock radio came on, and a voice said,
`In the midst of suffering and pain, Jesus understands, because He
suffered just as we do.'
"I sat down and listened. It seemed as if the voice was directed at
me personally. I felt a peace in my heart that I had not known. The
program ended with a phone number. I called the number and asked
the person who answered to tell me what to do."
The number Maria called was the Voice of Hope, and the person
who answered the phone listened to Maria's story then promised to
visit Maria and her daughter. In fact, several staff members visited the
family, sharing God's Word and weeping with them through their
suffering. Sadly, the disease had taken its toll, and Angela died.
Maria grieved over her daughter's death. But she was strengthened
by God's promises and drew courage from her newfound faith in
Christ and the support of her Christian friends. She was baptized into
the Seventh-day Adventist Church and now longs for the day when
she will be reunited with her daughter at Jesus' soon coming.
*Not their real names. Don Jacobsen is president of Adventist World
Radio.
Produced by the Office of Mission
Sabbath School-Personal Ministries department of the General Conference
Email: gomission@gc.adventist.org
63
Lesson 8
*August 17-23
Judah: From Jehoram to
Joash
.*.
L'
• /
----- \._c- -'
Sabbath Afternoon
MEMORY TEXT: "And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and
between all the people, and
between
the king, that they should be the
Lord's people" (2 Chronicles 23:16).
J
EHORAM, AHAZIAH, ATHALIAH, AND JOASH: A
TRAGEDY OF ERRORS.
This week covers about fifty-eight
years of leadership in Judah, beginning with Jehoram and ending
with Joash. It is really amazing, not that these people were either corrupt
or easily corruptible but that the Bible would be so open and obvious
about their foibles. This was not a common practice in the ancient Near
East, where official chroniclers tended (though not always) to gloss
over or flat-out ignore the mistakes of their mighty and holy sovereigns.
This certainly is not the case with the Jews. On the contrary.
Beginning with Jehoram, who "did evil in the sight of the Lord"
(2 Chron. 21:6, NKJV), up through Joash, who started out his reign
fairly well (After all, how much evil can a seven-year-old do?) only to
end on a rather sour note (killing the son of the man who helped bring
him to the throne), this week covers some pretty incredible events.
THE WEEK AT A GLANCE: What were some of the bad influ-
ences on Jehoram? How did Athaliah ascend the throne of Judah?
What did she attempt to do to the house of David? How was she
finally overthrown? What reforms did Jehoiada attempt to institute
in Judah? How did someone like Joash start out so good only to end
his reign on such a bad note?
*Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, August 24.
64
Sunday
August 18
FIRST ACTS (2 Chronicles 21).
"Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he
strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and
divers also of the princes of Israel" (2 Chron. 21:4).
T
hus reads the first recorded act of Jehoram, firstborn of good
king Jehoshaphat, new ruler in Judah (God's chosen nation) and
ancestor to Jesus the Messiah. Killing all his brothers and any-
one else who might have threatened his reign, young Jehoram showed
that whatever he might have lacked in spirituality he made up for in
political cunning (this, a few thousands years before Machaivelli wrote
The Prince).
Of course, to be fair, Solomon did somewhat the same
thing (1 Kings 2), even if the circumstances greatly differed. Neverthe-
less, the principle remains: God's chosen nation, in seeking a king,
reaped the sad results of that choice.
The rest of Jehoram's reign, as recorded in 2 Chronicles 21, reflects
his first acts. A hint, no doubt, of one reason for his terrible reign is
found in verse 6. He was married to a daughter of Ahab and Jezebel,
more than likely the marriage arranged by his father years earlier to
help cement political ties with Israel (see 2 Chron. 18:1; see also
2 Chron. 21:5, 6). This presents a perfect example of how even good
people reap the horrendous results of their mistakes.
Read the letter that came to Jehoram from Elijah the prophet
(2 Chron. 21:12-15). What, basically, does Elijah say to the king?
Why should his own children and family suffer directly from the
king's apostasy? Where else in the Bible do we see this principle,
that of innocents suffering for the wrong acts of others? How do we
understand this consequence, in light of God's fairness and justice?
One of
the problems modern readers often have with texts like these
is the phrase that "the Lord will strike" you with this or "the Lord will
strike" (vs. 14, NKJV) you with that. Oftentimes this is merely the Bible
writer's way of expressing the natural results of disobedience, though
there are unmistakable instances of God's direct retributive interven-
tion (see Genesis 7). In other words, these evil things are not necessar-
ily the direct result of God's supernatural action, even if Bible writers
sometimes express it that way. Whatever the case, the principle is the
same: Disobedience brings ruin, a point stressed over and over again
in the Bible, particularly in the Kings-Chronicles saga.
65
Monday
August 19
THE QUEEN "MUM" RULES (2 Chronicles 22).
A
fter the sorry and tragic reign of Jehoram in Judah (854-841
B.C.), his son Ahaziah ruled, but only for one year before
being killed (2 Chron. 22:2).
Second Chronicles 22 outlines the events that lead to his death.
Why would it be fitting that he should die with the house of Ahab
(see vss. 2-4) in the northern kingdom?
What is most important about Ahaziah is not his rule but what
followed, and that is the reign of Athaliah, mother of Ahaziah, wife of
Jehoram, and daughter of Jezebel and Ahab (what family ties!). Accord-
ing to the text, she was so enraged by what happened to her royal family
in Israel that she decided to do the same to the royal family in Judah.
Though on the surface this seemed like just another dynastic mess
in Israel, more murdering and conniving for power, nothing more—a
greater issue was at stake here.
In 2 Samuel 7:25 and 26 God promises David that he would establish
his dynasty forever, because the Lord planned for the Messiah to come
through David's bloodline (Matt. 1:1; Luke 1:32, 33; Acts 2:29-31; 13:22,
23; Rev. 3:7; 22:16). Genesis 49:10 adds, early on, that He will come
through Judah. If, however, Athaliah succeeded in destroying "all the
royal heirs of the house of Judah" (2 Chron. 22:10, NKJV), the bloodline
would have ended. Ideally, then, the prophecies of Jesus, coming from
the line of David, could not have been fulfilled.
"In this massacre all the descendants of David who were eligible to
the throne were destroyed, save one, a babe named Joash."—Ellen G.
White,
Prophets and Kings,
p. 215.
Read 2 Chronicles 22:11. Who is Jehoshabeath? She is men-
tioned only twice in the entire Scriptures (see also 2 Kings
11:2). Yet, she played such a key role in preserving the royal
line of David, through which Jesus the Messiah, Savior of the
world, would come. It is hard to imagine such high stakes
resting upon one person. This incident, though, is not the only
time something similar has happened, either in the Bible or
secular history. What other incidents, whether in the Bible or
in extrabiblical history, show how the faithfulness and dedica-
tion of even a single person, perhaps someone not even highly
esteemed, can have such important consequences? And though
few of us would even be in a position such as Jehoshabeath, what
does this account tell us about ourselves and about the potential
for good we have in the Lord's work if we remain faithful?
66
Tuesday
August 20
PALACE COUP (2 Chronicles 23; 2 Kings
11).
"And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the
house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king's son shall
reign, as the Lord hath said of the sons of David" (2 Chron.
23:3).
A
fter the death of Ahaziah, his mother, the pagan Athaliah,
seized the throne for six years (2 Chron. 22:12). She was not
even a remote descendant of King David; her six-year rule
marked the only interruption in the direct line of Davidic leadership in
Judah.
Who led out in the revolt against the reign of Athaliah? What
reasons did he have to justify his palace coup? After all, what does Paul
say in Romans? "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For
there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of
God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation" (Rom.
13:1, 2). Though, of course, Jehoiada could not have read Paul, did the
principle still not apply, all the same? Why, too, did he wait until, of all
days,
the Sabbath
(2
Chron. 23:8), to institute the revolt?
Verse 16 of 2 Chronicles 23 reads, "And Jehoiada made a covenant
between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that
they should be the Lord's people." Jehoiada, obviously, was serious
about turning the people of Judah back to the Lord; he intended that
they should be "the Lord's people." What does that mean, that they
should be "the Lord's people"? See Leviticus 26:12; Jeremiah 31:33, 34;
and chapter 32:38-40 for hints. That title is obviously not something
that comes automatically by blood, or there would have been no need
for Jehoiada to admonish the people to renew the covenant with the
Lord.
Read 2 Chronicles 23:16-21. Notice the steps that Jehoiada took
to try to set the nation right with God again. Besides having the
queen killed, he tore down pagan altars, killed the priests of
Baal, reestablished the Levitical priesthood, and appointed
gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the Lord so that "no one
who was in any way unclean should enter" (vs. 19, NKJV). Does
all this not sound so judgmental, so narrow-minded, so paro-
chial? Why take such extreme measures? Did he never hear of
liberty of conscience? What justification did he have for such
harsh acts, and what do those acts tell us about how we, person-
ally, need to deal with the "pagan" influences in our own lives?
67
Wednesday
August 21
THE EARLY REIGN OF KING JOASH (2 Kings 12:1-16;
2 Chron. 24:1-14).
A
ccording to the Bible, Joash (or Jehoash) had been on the
throne 23 years before declaring that the temple
(2 Kings 12:6), defiled by the sons of Athaliah (2 Chron. 24:7),
needed repair. Notice what he says to them in 2 Kings 12:7: "Then
king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and
said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now
therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it
for the breaches of the house."
Apparently, the priests had been taking money from the people and
using it for either themselves or for purposes other than the mainte-
nance of the temple. For whatever reason, it was not a project the
priesthood showed much enthusiasm about (see also 2 Chron. 24:5).
Perhaps they knew that the more spent on the temple, the less they
would have for themselves.
Where was the money to come from for the needed repairs?
Read 2 Kings 12:4, 5, 9, 10.
"Three different kinds of offerings are here referred to: (1) 'The
dedicated things.' Money from persons who had made vows to the
Lord or who had dedicated certain animals or objects to Him (see Lev.
27:2-28). (2) 'The money of every one that passeth the account.' That
is, the money each individual was assessed. This was half a shekel,
whether rich or poor (Ex. 30:13-15). (3) 'The money that cometh into
any man's heart.' This consisted of freewill offerings."—The
SDA
Bible Commentary,
vol. 2, p. 923: 2 Kings 12:4, "All the money."
Read the account of how the money was to be given for the repair of
the temple as presented in 2 Chronicles 24:8-10. Why was it such a
success?
Could the fact that the people themselves gave, without com-
pulsion, have something to do with why there was "money in abun-
dance"? (vs. 11, NKJV). Compare what happened here with what hap-
pened in Exodus 36:3-6.
Perhaps the most telling verse in this whole account appears in
2 Chronicles 24:10, which says that all the leaders and all the people
rejoiced. No doubt, they felt satisfaction in freely being part of this
important work. In other words, because they believed in what they
were doing, they were glad to do it. The lessons for us should be
obvious.
68
Thursday
August 22
THE APOSTASY OF JOASH (2 Chron. 24:15-27).
/
n Shakespeare's
Richard III, a
citizen says "Woe to the land that
is governed by a child." This is not true in the case of Joash, who
was placed on the throne of Judah at the incredibly young age of
seven (2 Chron. 24:1). His earlier days were, in fact, better than his
latter ones.
The Bible basically explains why. Second Chronicles 24:2 says,
"And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the
days of Jehoiada the priest." (Second Kings 12:2 adds the phrase "all
the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him," NIV.) Notice the ca-
veat here: The king did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord
as long as Jehoiada the priest was around. This was the priest whose
wife, Jehoshabeath (2 Chron. 22:11), had first hid the child from the
murderous clutches of Athaliah and who, himself, led the revolt that
overthrew the queen. As long as Jehoiada guided him, Joash stayed
faithful. However, once Jehoiada died, the situation changed.
Read 2 Chronicles 24:17. The text could also be translated,
"And after the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came and
they bowed before the king; then the king obeyed them." What
does this text say about the character of Joash?
Joash, obviously, was someone who easily could be swayed. That
could be good, or it could be bad. People need to be open to the
influence and counsel of others; that openness, however, could be a
double-edged sword. The same attitude that allows a person to listen to
good counselors also allows him or her to listen to bad ones, Joash
being a prime example. Taking advice is one thing; learning to filter that
advice, the good from the bad, is another.
Read 2 Chronicles 24:24. What principle, again, appears here?
Look at verses 21 and 22. It is hard to imagine how quickly and deeply
a person can fall, once under the wrong influences. It would have been
bad enough if Joash had simply ignored the warnings of Zechariah
(vs. 20); but he did not stop there. Instead, he had this man, the son of
Jehoiada, stoned to death! How could he do that? Notice how verse 21
starts: "They conspired against" Zechariah, "they" being, no doubt,
those princes who had first talked Joash into allowing idolatry. However,
according to the same text, it was the king himself who gave the command
for the prophet to be killed. What a testimony to how deeply wrong
influences can corrupt those not firmly rooted in faith and obedience.
69
Friday
August 23
FURTHER STUDY:
p
lease read Ellen G. White,
Prophets and Kings,
pp. 374, 375;
The Great Controversy,
p. 451; Revelation 14:6, 7.
"The blessings thus assured to Israel are, on the same conditions
and in the same degree, assured to every nation and to every individual
under the broad
heavens."—Prophets and Kings,
pp. 500, 501. "The
church in this generation has been endowed by God with great privi-
leges and blessings, and He expects corresponding returns."—Ellen
G. White,
Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 296.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
One lesson, so blatantly obvious from the story of Joash, deals,
of course, with the issue of influence. We are not islands unto
ourselves, as British poet John Donne once pointed out. Our
words, our actions, our body language, and our tone of voice all
have an influence, one way or another, on those around us. Our
actions can, literally, influence someone for eternal life or
eternal destruction. How can we, day by day, keep this idea in
mind, that not only what we
say
and do but how we
say
and do it
can have a major impact on others?
2.
Read 2 Chronicles 24:6. Something very interesting happens
there. It is King Joash who, in a sense, chided Jehoiada,
saying, " 'Why have you not required the Levites to bring in
from Judah and from Jerusalem the collection' "? (NKJV).
In other words, here he is showing a little backbone and
spunk, while Jehoiada, his mentor, appears a little lax. What
can we learn from this account about how, perhaps, even
the strongest people have moments of weakness and the
weakest have moments of strength? Or is there another
lesson in this account? Discuss.
3.
However much we need to be careful about our influence on
others, perhaps we can learn from the story of Joash lessons
about what kinds of things influence our own lives. What are we
filling our minds with, with whom do we associate, and what are
the things we like to look at and talk about? All these things, to
one degree or another, influence us. Take some time to think
about just what influences you and how, remembering always
the background motif of the great controversy.
70
A Taste of Heaven
Edward Oliphant
When I retired after years of selling literature in South Africa, I
decided to return to Namibia, where I had worked in the late 1970s.
I visited one town where there had been no church. I was thrilled
to find a church with 90 members. Some of the charter members were
people to whom I had sold books! Others whom I had met while
colporteuring have since been baptized into this church.
One couple I had sold books to lived a wild life. The husband was
an alcoholic and a drug addict. I invited them to church and was
surprised when they came. After the service they told me that they had
lived together for 10 years, but they wanted to be married. Soon after
their marriage they began preparing for baptism. Recently I met this
family in church and found a faithful Christian couple.
I gave Bible studies to a woman named Susan. She wanted to be
baptized, but her husband was angry about her decision. On the
morning of her baptism, the pastor and I went to pick her up. We found
the husband standing in his yard bare chested and angry. "So you are
the guy who convinced my wife to become an Adventist!" he roared.
The man charged toward us. Suddenly this huge man was lying on the
ground, stunned. The pastor, a judo expert, had flipped him onto the
ground. He was unhurt, but he lay quietly while Susan got into the car.
I went to visit Susan and found her happy in her Christian life.
When I asked about her husband, she told me he would soon be home.
I wondered if I should leave, but just then he walked in.
"Guess who this is," Susan said, smiling. She introduced me, and
the man reached out his hand.
He noticed my nervousness. "Don't worry," he chuckled. "I am not
cross with you. I am glad that my wife became an Adventist. I know
now what my wife's decision was all
about, and soon I will join her."
"My husband is preparing for bap-
tism," Susan added.
I was not sure what I would find
when I returned to Namibia, but God
turned my adventure into a taste of
heaven.
Edward Oliphant is a retired
colporteur who has remained in
Namibia to work as a Bible worker. He
still sells books whenever he has a
chance.
Produced by the Office of Mission
Sabbath School-Personal Ministries department of the General Conference
Email: gomiss ion@ gc.adventist.org
71
Lesson 9
*August 24-30
The Rule of Hezekiah in
Judah
Sabbath
Afternoon
MEMORY TEXT: "This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah,
doing what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his
God" (2 Chronicles 31:20).
A
MAZIAH, UZZIAH, AND JOTHAM. We last left Judah with
the death of Joash, the child-king who apostatized later in life
and who, after being wounded by Syrian invaders, was killed
by his own servants as he lay wounded in bed (2 Chron. 24:23-25). Next
came Amaziah, who did what was right in the sight of the Lord "but not with
a loyal heart" (2 Chron. 25:2, NKTV) and who, after massacring thousands
of pagans, worshiped their gods (vss. 5-16). After his death (790 B.c.),
Uzziah ruled for fifty-two quite prosperous years in Jerusalem; though, lifted
up with pride, he entered the temple and burned incense (which was not
lawful for him to do), an act that brought upon him the instantaneous
judgment of God in the form of leprosy (2 Chronicles 26). Next came
Jotham, who "became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord
his God" (2 Chron. 27:6). After his death, his son, Ahaz, who was disloyal to
God (2 Chronicles 28), ruled, and then after Ahaz, Hezekiah. This week we
will study the reigns of these last two kings, Ahaz and Hezekiah.
THE
WEEK AT A GLANCE: What was Ahaz's problem? What was the
state of Judah by the time Hezekiah ascended to the throne? What
were the key elements of the revival he started? What role did an
understanding of the gospel play in this revival?
*Please study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, August 31.
72
Sunday
August 25
AHAZ'S APOSTASY (2 Kings 16).
A
fter a run of kings who, all things considered, could have been
worse, Judah now suffered under the 16-year rule of Ahaz,
which brought the nation to "conditions more appalling than
any that had hitherto existed in the realm of Judah."—Ellen G. White,
Prophets and Kings,
p. 322.
Read 2 Kings 16:1-4. What were the
sins mentioned there?
1.
2.
3.
Meanwhile, when Judah had been attacked by a coalition of Israel
and Syria—an encounter known as the Syro-Ephraimite War—Ahaz
sought help from the Assyrians, despite the counsel from the prophet
Isaiah, who said that the attack would not succeed (see Isa. 7:1-9).
Read Isaiah 7:1-9 and answer the following questions:
1.
What did Isaiah say to Ahaz about the power and influence of
Syria (Aram)? Isa. 7:1; of Israel (Ephraim)? Isa. 7:1-9, and what was
Ahaz's reaction? Isa. 7:10-12.
2.
Why was Ahaz's response, that of not wanting to "tempt" the
Lord, the wrong answer in this particular instance? Isa. 7:12, 13.
Read 2 Kings 16:7-18. Look at what happened. Judah received the
military help it needed but at what cost? The king, possibly at the
prodding of the Assyrians, ended up incorporating Assyrian paganism
into the temple itself, even to the point of redoing aspects of the temple
in order to accommodate Assyrian gods. He eventually cut up pieces of
"the articles of the house of God" (NKJV), closed down the temple, and
made for himself altars in various parts of the city (2 Chron. 28:24, 25).
Ahaz probably did not start out as corrupt as he became. It was,
more than likely, a slow, step-by-step process. If early in his reign
he would have been told that he would be doing some of the things
he eventually did, he probably would have been appalled; however,
the corrupting process came slowly, in small steps, as it usually
does. Look at your own life and ask yourself,
Could this same thing
be happening to me, as well?
73
Monday
August 26
HEZEKIAH'S RUINED INHERITANCE (2 Chronicles 29).
B
y the time Hezekiah ascended the throne, the ravages of his
father's reign were seen everywhere: "In a few well-chosen
words [2 Chron. 29:5-10] the king reviewed the situation they
were facing—the closed temple and the cessation of all services within
its precincts; the flagrant idolatry practiced in the streets of the city and
throughout the kingdom; the apostasy of multitudes who might have
remained true to God had the leaders in Judah set before them a right
example; and the decline of the kingdom and loss of prestige in the
estimation of surrounding nations." Ellen G. White,
Prophets and
Kings,
p. 332.
How does Micah describe the spiritual condition of Judah at the
time Hezekiah became king?
Mic. 2:1
Mic. 2:2
Mic. 3:11 (the priesthood)
Mic. 3:11 (the prophets)
Mic. 7:2-6
Look at the words of Hezekiah: "For our fathers have trespassed,
and done that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord our God, and have
forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of
the Lord, and turned their backs. Also they have shut up the doors of
the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor
offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel"
(2 Chron. 29:6, 7).
Perhaps, nothing spoke louder of their apostasy than the fact that
they had shut down the temple itself. The edifice that God Himself had
established (Exod. 25:8), the place where He would manifest Himself to
His people (Exod. 29:42, 43), the place where they should praise and
acknowledge Him as Creator and Redeemer (Pss. 132:7; 138:2), the place
where He reigns (Ps. 99:1, 2), the place where He had centered His
salvation activity (Ps. 24:3-5)—all of this had been openly abandoned
by the Judeans. What a testimony to how low they had fallen.
Judah abandoned the sanctuary and hence the truth associated
with it. What lessons are here for us, who also have a sanctuary with
attendant truths, as well?
74
Tuesday
August 27
REVIVAL UNDER HEZEKIAH.
"And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord,
according to all that David his father did. He removed the high
places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake
in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those
days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it
Nehushtan. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him
was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were
before him" (2 Kings 18:3-5).
Read 2 Kings 18:1-4. Why would Hezekiah break apart the bronze
serpent that Moses had made (Num. 21:8, 9)? Why would such a
"holy" object need to be destroyed?
A
mong the things that Hezekiah did that were right in the sight
of the Lord was that "he removed the high places"
(2 Kings 18:4). That is interesting, especially because most
of the previous kings, even those who were deemed as good, did not
remove these high places (1 Kings 22:43; 2 Kings 12:3; 14:4). Though
much speculation exists regarding the exact nature of these high
places, they seemed to be altars where pagan gods were worshiped on
the model of the Canaanite religion. Hezekiah is the first Judean king
recorded as having removed them, a testimony to the seriousness with
which he was undertaking his reforms.
Look up the following texts that deal with the reforms under Hezekiah.
What part do each of these play in his reformation?
1.2 Kings 18:5-7
2. 2 Chron. 29:4, 5, 11
3.2 Chron. 29:10
4. 2 Chron. 30:1-19
5.2 Chron. 31:1
Not only (Ed he rei.,state proper worship, Hezekiah wasted no time in
deposing all wrong practices, because he apparently knew that no
matter how many good things he instituted, no matter how many
proper forms and traditions were followed, the existence of sinful
practices would, eventually, poison everything.
75
Wednesday
August 28
PASSOVER IN JERUSALEM (2 Chronicles 30).
O
ne of the first reforms instituted under Hezekiah was the
reinstatement of the Passover, long neglected in the nation.
In fact, the chapter presents the first written reference to the
Passover since the days of Joshua (see Josh. 5:10).
Read the account of the Passover in 2 Chronicles 30 and answer the
following questions:
1.
Who were invited to the Passover? 2 Chron. 30:1, 5.
2.
Read through the letter Hezekiah sent in 2 Chronicles 30:6-9.
How is the blessing/retribution cycle outlined here?
3.
What was the general reaction in Israel to this call for
revival? 2 Chron. 30:10, 11.
4.
Verse 11 reveals the attitude of those who accepted the invitation.
What was that attitude, and why is that so important for anyone who
wants to serve the Lord? Can we truly serve Him without it?
Read verses 14-20 in this chapter. Notice the words of Hezekiah
regarding those who had sinned by eating the Passover before they
were ritually clean. "The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his
heart to seek God" (vss. 18, 19). What a beautiful expression of the
gospel: God forgives those who, having sinned, nevertheless prepare
their hearts to seek the Lord (see Deut. 4:29; Ps. 105:3, 4; Isa. 55:6).
How appropriate, too, that these would be expressed during the time
of the Passover, one of the Old Testament's clearest expressions in
type of salvation by faith in the blood of Jesus (Exod. 12:13; 1 Cor. 5:7).
These people, having no merit in themselves, could only humble them-
selves before the Lord and seek Him in faith, humility, and repentance.
A revival that centers around Passover? What a great idea! When
one considers how Jesus Christ as our Savior and Substitute
forms the hub of the whole notion of Passover, a revival centered
around that makes great sense. Why would any among us who
attempt a reform not centered around Jesus and the blood of
Jesus be doomed to fail?
76
Thursday
August 29
THE ASSYRIAN CHALLENGE (2 Kings 18; 19).
T
he situation Judah and Hezekiah had faced was this: After years
of paying tribute to the Assyrians, who were then dominating
the region, Hezekiah decided to revolt, allying himself with
Egypt, despite the warnings of Isaiah against this policy (Isa. 30:1-5;
31:1-3). Then the Assyrians, under the reign of Sennacherib, steamrolled
their way through Israel, leaving terror and destruction in their wake.
With the Assyrian armies knocking (not politely) at the doors, Hezekiah
changed his mind about the revolt and sent tribute to them (2 Kings
18:14-16). This, however, was not enough, and Sennacherib demanded
unconditional surrender, something that Hezekiah refused to do. (Ap-
parently, there were two Assyrian invasions, although it is difficult to
tell in the biblical text where one ends and another begins.) See Friday's
material for more information. Nevertheless, in one of these assaults,
the Assyrians sent a letter to the Judeans, warning them not to listen to
Hezekiah's promises that God would save them.
Read 2 Kings 18:28-37, the words of Sennacherib to the Judeans.
From one perspective, they sound pretty convincing. After all, none
of the gods of the other nations saved those people from his army.
What makes the Judeans think that their God will do any better for
them?
Don't listen to Hezekiah; surrender to me and spare your-
selves the same fate as these others who had trusted in their gods.
Imagine being a Judean inside the city walls with a massive, vicious
army outside, mocking your God and offering you wonderful prom-
ises if only you surrender. Yet, according to the text, the people
"held their peace and answered him not a word; for the king's
commandment was, 'Do not answer him" (2 Kings 18:36, NKJV).
Suppose, instead of this king being Hezekiah, it was Ahaz or Jehoram
or any of the kings who had been in deep apostasy and who led their
people into apostasy? Would the people have been so ready to listen?
What was it about Hezekiah that caused them to trust him and his
promises of God's deliverance? What role did the revival and refor-
mation under him have in helping strengthen the people's faith that
God would deliver them? Imagine if there had been no revival. The
outcome could have been quite different. Read 2 Kings 19:35-37 to
see what happened to the Assyrians.
What does all this tell us about how there are no substitutes for
faithfulness, trust, and obedience when it comes to being fortified for
whatever battles and challenges we face on any level? How can we
take the principle of what happened here, nationally, and apply it to
ourselves, personally, in the assaults upon ourselves that we, in this
life, will, inevitably, in one form or another, face?
77
Friday
August 30
FURTHER STUDY:
T
here were apparently two invasions of Judah by the Assyrians
about twenty-five years apart. The first one in 701
B.C.
is
well-documented in history. See
The SDA Bible Commen-
tary,
vol. 2, pp. 955, 956:13, "The fourteenth year," for an outline
of the two views. In
Prophets and Kings,
pages 339, 349-366,
Ellen White presents the information about these events as two
distinct events. The biblical record mixes the two, probably be-
cause the focus is on how the Lord solved the problem and not so
much on chronological concerns.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
The SDA Bible Commentary
makes this comment about the
people who took part in the Passover without being
ceremoni-
ally
clean: "Everything
was not done according to the strict
letter of the law, but, circumstances having made that impos-
sible, the spirit of the law was followed. God is reasonable, and
true servants of His are men of reason and prudence. Everyone
engaged in the work of the Lord will find that circumstances
sometimes do alter cases, and extreme situations may arise
where judgment and reason must replace a strict observance of
the letter of the law. This is no excuse for laxity, but emergen-
cies must be met as the circumstances require."—Vol. 3,
pp. 294, 295:19, "Prepareth his heart." Do you agree with
what the commentary said? If so, why; if not, why not?
2.
Notice, too, that the Assyrian king attempts to cause the people
to doubt God. In what ways do we face these kinds of assaults
every
day? What is the only defense? Notice, too, how he tried to
divide the people from their king and from their God. In
what ways does Satan try that with us, even if in a much
more subtle manner?
3.
Paul wrote: "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be
a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover
is sacrificed for us" (1 Cor. 5:7). With that text in mind, think
about Hezekiah's Passover celebration, as recorded in
2 Chronicles 30. In what ways does the Passover reflect the
deliverance we have in Christ? What does it mean to purge
out the old leaven, and does that concept relate to the whole
idea of revival and reformation?
78
Trainman Finds His Calling
Charlotte Ishkanian
When David Nhavotso of Mozambique became an Adventist, he
found a new calling in life—evangelism. He loves to share his love for
Christ.
David works for the railroad. His superiors allowed him to work on
Sunday instead of Sabbath, but they warned him not to share his faith
at work. However, David could not keep his faith a secret. When his
co-workers asked him why he no longer worked on Saturday, he told
them. Soon he was giving two of his friends Bible studies.
While visiting his brother in another town, David met a Protestant
pastor and shared the Sabbath truth with him. When the pastor resisted this
new truth, David read him John 14:15, " 'If you love me, you will obey
what I command,' " and Isaiah 30:21, " 'This is the way; walk in it' "
(NIV). The pastor then said, "Come to my church tonight. Tell the people
about the Sabbath. If they accept it, you may study the Bible with them."
David presented the Sabbath message to 40 people that evening.
"We have never heard this before," they cried. "Will you come and
teach us more?" David returned the next day, Sabbath morning, and
again on Sunday to teach the people. He found the church packed.
While some resisted the new truth, many wanted to begin keeping the
Sabbath immediately. But David had to return home. He urged the
people to study the Bible and let God teach them.
Several weeks later the Protestant pastor invited David to come
study with several people who wanted to become Seventh-day
Adventists. David took a three-week leave from work and invited his
own pastor to accompany him to study with the people. They found
that a number of people had been keeping the Sabbath and had saved
their tithes and offerings, which they presented to David's pastor.
Nineteen people were baptized, in-
cluding the Protestant pastor and his
wife. The believers have established a
new church in town which has quickly
grown to 60 members. It has a weekly
attendance of about 100.
David is not sitting still. He has
begun giving Bible studies to inter-
ested people in another village where
there is no Adventist congregation.
David Nhavotso (left). Charlotte
Ishkanian is editor of
Mission.
Produced by the Ottice of Mission
bbath School-Personal Ministries department of the General Conferencc
Email: gOmission@gc.adventist.org
79
Lesson 10
*August 31—September 6
Meanwhile . . . Back in the
North
Sabbath Afternoon
MEMORY VERSE: "But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the
Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria,
and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that
ye go to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?" (2 Kings 1:3).
T
HE LAST DAYS OF THE OMRIDE DYNASTY. We last left
off our study of the kingdom of Israel with the ill-fated war
against Ramoth-Gilead (853 B.c.), in which Ahab was killed and
Jehoshaphat (by the grace of God) barely escaped alive (2 Chronicles 18).
This week we backtrack, looking more closely at Ahab's reign and those
who followed: his son Ahaziah, Ahaziah's brother Joram (the last of
Omri's seed to sit on the throne of Israel), and then Jehu, who seized
power in a military coup blessed of the Lord. We will also take a peek at
the last "earthly" days of the incredible Elijah, not only a great presence in
the Old Testament but who, in fact, makes a cameo appearance in the
New Testament, as well.
THE WEEK AT A GLANCE: What did Jezebel do to Naboth in order to
possess his vineyard for Ahab?What were the results of that plot?
Who was Ahaziah, and what crucial, but common, mistake did he
make? Why was Elijah so important? What principles can we, today,
thousands of years after Elijah's ministry, learn from the story of his
life and last days? How did the Omride Dynasty finally end? Why
were Jehu's reforms so drastic, and why did the Lord approve of
what Jehu did to the house of Ahab?
'Please study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 7.
80
Sunday
September 1
AHAB AND NABOTH
(1 Kings 21).
E
ven after the encounter at Carmel with Elijah, things seemed to
go relatively well for the weak-willed King Ahab of Israel. He
defeated the Syrians in two wars (1 Kings 20:1-34) that, appar-
ently, left him well off economically.
Read the story of Ahab, Jezebel, and Naboth, at least as far as verse
16 in 1 Kings 21. According to
The SDA Bible Commentary,
Naboth
apparently believed that it was "against the spiritual purpose of the
Levitical law for him to transfer his inheritance to the king."—Vol. 2,
p. 834:3, "The Lord forbid it." Whether he understood the law
correctly or not, Naboth was determined not to give his land to the
king. Obviously, he felt a responsibility to a higher authority. In
the context of this story, answer the following questions:
What did Ahab offer Naboth for the vineyard? Was it a fair
price? Read 1 Kings 21:9 and 10, which record Jezebel's plot.
Notice the irony. She calls a "fast" and wants Naboth stoned be-
cause he "blasphemed God" (NKJV). Was this not the same
woman who at one point tried to eliminate the worship of the Lord?
Maybe—with the defeat of her gods and death of her priests—she
had converted to the true faith in an experience similar to Saul of
Tarsus who, having been a persecutor of the Lord, suddenly became
a follower. Or did Jezebel have other motives? If so, what were they?
Read the rest of the chapter. Notice the phrase Elijah uses when he
confronts Ahab: "'Because you
have sold yourself
to do evil in the
sight of the Lord"' (vs. 20, NKJV, emphasis supplied). It implies that
there was some good in the king, that he knew what was right, but he
allowed himself to sell his principles for a price. Verse 25 repeats the
same idea but adds the expression that he sold himself because "Jezebel
his wife stirred him up" (NKJV).
Perhaps all this helps explain what happens next. After being de-
nounced, Ahab "rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and
fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly" (vs. 27). Apparently, this
was not just for show. He had truly repented, for the Lord told Elijah,
"See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has
humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days"'
(vs. 29, NKJV).
Fraud, violence, theft. Yet, God accepted Ahab's repentance? Par-
allel this story with the story of David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11
and 12). What do the stories have in common, and where do they
differ? What lessons can we learn from both?
81
Monday
September 2
AHAZIAH, SON OF AHAB (2 Kings
1).
R
ead the account of Ahaziah, in 2 Kings 1, who ascended the
throne after the death of his father Ahab. His request (vs. 2)
shows that whatever victories the followers of the Lord had in
Israel, the problem of paganism had hardly subsided. Here was the king,
finding himself in dire straits, seeking after pagan deities for help.
Look at the words the angel of the Lord gave to Elijah to speak to
Ahaziah: "Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to
inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?" (2 Kings 1:3). What spiritual
principle is operating here? How often we find ourselves doing the
same thing, that of seeking answers in the wrong places. Write
down different ways in which people, in a sense, might be enquir-
ing of the "god of Ekron" all the while the Lord God of heaven
and earth is waiting there to help. Understand, too, that turning to
a source of help outside of God can be a very subtle thing, in that
we do not realize what we are doing. For example, some people
look to science as the answer to all human questions. Others
believe the answers exist within themselves, within something deep
and profound inside them. What other "gods of Ekron" are there?
Read the account of what happened when Ahaziah sent soldiers to
talk with Elijah (2 Kings 1:9-18). This time fire came down from heaven
and devoured, not sacrifices, but over a hundred men. By the time the
third group of soldiers came, the captain pled for all their lives (he must
have heard what happened to those who went before him and did not
want to face the same fate). Though the Bible does not say why
something so drastic had to happen, perhaps it was to reinforce to
Ahaziah, in a manner reflective of Carmel, the power of the living God (if
that was the reason, it did not work); or, perhaps it was to give Elijah the
courage to go down and face the soldiers (after all, with something like
this happening, he should not have been afraid).
Compare Ahaziah's sin, at least as recorded here, with that of his
father, Ahab, when he took the life and property of Naboth. One
hardly seems comparable with the other, yet Ahab was spared the
immediate punishment for his deeds, while his son was not spared
the punishment for his. What is going on here? What made the
crucial difference between the two? Hint: Look for what is
not
said in
the case of Ahaziah as in contrast to the one of Ahab (1 Kings 21:29).
82
Tuesday
September 3
THE LAST (EARTHLY) DAYS OF ELIJAH (2 Kings 2:1-12).
C
hristian musician Rich Mullins wrote a song with the line,
"When I leave I want to go out like Elijah." Who would not,
ascending to heaven on a whirlwind of flaming horses and
chariots? (2 Kings 2:11). Not a bad exit for such a colorful and
dramatic character.
Elijah. He appears out of nowhere and rebukes a powerful king
(1 Kings 17:1). Elijah. His prayers and supplications to God brought
back a child from death (1 Kings 17:18-22). Elijah, who stared down
850 pagan prophets at Carmel and won (1 Kings 18). Elijah, who fled
in death-wishing discouragement from the wrath of an angry queen
(1 Kings 19:4). Elijah, who brings down fire from God and devours
his enemies (2 Kings 1:10-12).
Elijah, though, is not just a giant of the Old Testament. Jesus talked
about Elijah (Matt. 11:14; 17:12; Mark 9:11). Every Gospel account
mentions his name (Matt. 27:47; Mark 9:5; Luke 9:8; John 1:21). Paul
used him as an example (Rom. 11:2), and so did James (James 5:17).
Review the events in Elijah's life (mostly 1 Kings 17-19; 21; 2 Kings
1; 2). Was he balanced? Fanatical? Moderate? A liberal? A conserva-
tive? If he were alive today, how might he relate to your local church?
Notice how Paul and James refer to Elijah. Paul wrote: "God hath not
cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture
saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, say-
ing, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars;
and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of
God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who
have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal" (Rom. 11:2-4). James
wrote: "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he
prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by
the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the
heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit" (James 5:17, 18).
In both cases, the human side of Elijah was shown: In Paul's
example, Elijah, discouraged, thought he was the only faithful fol-
lower of the Lord and had to be rebuked for that attiude. James simply
emphasized the struggle with self that Elijah had, as do the rest of us.
In short, both help to make this great prophet human.
Few of us have had the kind of dramatic spiritual confron-
tations that Elijah had. Nevertheless, what can we learn from
his story, both from his mistakes and from his victories that
could help us be faithful followers of the same God in our own
spiritual confrontations, whatever they might be?
83
Wednesday
September 4
THE RISE OF THE HOUSE OF JEHU (2 Kings 9).
"And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may
avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the
servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel" (2 Kings 9:7).
A
fter the death of Ahaziah, his brother Joram(or Jehoram), last
king of the Omride Dynasty (those directly descended from
King Omri), succeeded him. See 2 Kings 1:17. Not surprisingly,
Joram "did evil in the sight of the Lord" (2 Kings 3:2, NKJV), even to the
point where Elisha the prophet instigated against a military coup d'etat in
which Joram was deposed and the commander of the military took the
throne.
Read 2 Kings 9 and answer these questions:
1.
Look at the order that Elisha gave to one of the "sons of the
prophets" regarding the anointing of Jehu (vs. 1, NKJV).
Go, do it,
get out, and "'do not delay"
(vs. 3, NKJV). What probable reason
did Elisha have for having him do it so quickly?
2.
What question did Joram ask three times in response to the
approach of Jehu and his men? What did his question imply about
Joram's frame of mind? What did it indicate, and why would he have
reasons to be fearful?
3.
The death of Joram came as a fulfillment of the prohecy of
Elijah after the death of Naboth (1 Kings 21), in which—because of
Ahab's repentance—the punishment was placed instead on those
who came after him (1 Kings 21:21). Ask yourself this question: In
the light of the blessings/retribution motif in Kings and Chronicles,
was the prophecy conditional? If Joram would have been faithful,
unlike his father or brother, could the prophecy not have been
fulfilled? Give reasons for whichever answer you choose. Where
does 2 Kings 9:25 say that Joram's body was to be cast? Was
this fate fair, especially since Joram did not have anything to do
with his parents' treachery anyway? Or, perhaps, was it a sym-
bol of something else? If so, what?
5. What did Jezebel say to Jehu when he approached her? What
message was she trying to convey? Zimri had been the one who had
killed King Baasha in Judah (1 Kings 16:12). The answer, perhaps,
is found in 1 Kings 16:15 and 16.
84
Thursday
September 5
JEHU REFORMS ISRAEL.
T
hus began the dynasty of Jehu. Jehu ruled from 841 to 814
B.C.
He eradicated Baal worship as thoroughly as he could. For his
righteous zeal in this respect he was commended by the prophet
Elisha, and a promise was made that his descendants would sit on Israel's
throne to the fourth generation (2 Kings 10:30). Accordingly, his dynasty
reigned over the country for about 90 years, nearly half the time of Israel's
existence. However, Jehu did not break with Jeroboam's calf worship, and
his reform was, as a result, considered incomplete (2 Kings 10:31)."
—Siegfried H. Horn, "The Divided Monarchy: The Kingdoms of Judah
and Israel,"
Ancient Israel: A Short History From Abraham to the Roman
Destruction of the Temple,
ed. Hershel Shanks (Washington, D.C.: Bibli-
cal Archaeology Society, 1988), p. 125.
Second Kings 10 recounts Jehu's actions against the house of
Ahab in Israel and against those who worshiped Baal. On the following
lines, read the text given and write down what happened in order that
the " 'word of the Lord which the Lord spoke concerning the
house of Ahab' " (2 Kings 10:10, NKJV) would be fulfilled:
2 Kings 10:7
2 Kings 10:14
2 Kings 10:17
2 Kings 10:25, 27
After reading these texts, someone might be tempted to say that
all this carnage could be attributed simply to Jehu's excessive zeal.
However, read what the Lord says to Jehu in verse 30 after all these
"reforms" took place and how he did right in "mine eyes." How are we
to understand this? Or can we, here, thousands of years later in a totally
different culture, without having all the facts at our disposal?
Jehu was quite adamant about eliminating Baal worship from
Israel. However, the text
says
that he did not "turn away from the
sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin, that is,
from the golden calves that were at Bethel and Dan" (2 Kings 10:29,
NKJV). Why would he be so firm about eliminating one form of
paganism and idolatry and not another? Why would he be less in-
clined to eliminate the golden calves as opposed to Baal worship, and
what lesson is in this for us who might be selective in which sins
we keep and which ones we dispose of?
85
Friday
September 6
FURTHER STUDY:
T
he Elijah Message. In this age, just prior to the second coming
of Christ in the clouds of heaven, God calls for men who will
prepare a people to stand in the great day of the Lord. Just such a
work as that which John did, is to be carried on in these last days. The
Lord is giving messages to His people, through the instruments He has
chosen, and He would have all heed the admonitions and warnings He
sends. The message preceding the public ministry of Christ was, Re-
pent, publicans and sinners; repent, Pharisees and Sadducees; 'for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Our message is not to be one of peace
and safety. As a people who believe in Christ's soon appearing, we have
a definite message to bear,—`Prepare to meet thy God.' "—Ellen G.
White Comments,
The SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 4, p. 1184:5, 6.
"It was because of His compassion for those whose moral power was
weak that He raised up Jehu to slay wicked Jezebel and all the house of
Ahab. Once more, through a merciful providence, the priests of Baal
and of Ashtoreth were set aside and their heathen altars thrown down.
God in His wisdom foresaw that if temptation were removed, some
would forsake heathenism and turn their faces heavenward, and this is
why He permitted calamity after calamity to befall them. His judgments
were tempered with mercy; and when His purpose was accomplished,
He turned the tide in favor of those who had learned to inquire after
Him."—Ellen G. White,
Prophets and Kings,
pp. 254, 255.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
In what ways does the above quote in
Prophets and Kings
help answer some of the hard issues raised in Thursday's
lesson? At the same time, what questions does it leave or, in
fact, create? Discuss.
2.
Second Kings 10:31 reads: "But Jehu took no heed to walk in
the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart: for he
departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to
sin." This text came immediately after the one in which God
commended him for wiping out the house of Ahab. The
verb there for "took heed" in the Hebrew is a very common
one used time and again in the Hebrew Bible in the context
of Israel "taking heed" to do the will of the Lord. Yet, no
matter how zealous he was in his actions against the house
of Ahab, Jehu had some blind spots. What lessons can we
learn from this account? Does God excuse our blind spots,
or does He work with us despite them? Justify your answer.
86
Would-Be Murderer Meets Christ, Part 1
J. H. Zachary
Zachariah grew up in a Hindu village in eastern India. As a youth
he turned to crime and became the leader of a gang. He carried a
weapon wherever he went.
Zachariah married a woman who was a Christian. When she real-
ized how Zechariah hated Christians, she waited until he was asleep to
read her Bible or pray. But one day he caught her praying. "If you are a
follower of Jesus, you have no place in my home," he shouted.
Quietly she replied, "While I love Jesus, I will always be a faithful
wife to you."
"You will not bring a strange God into my home!" he ordered.
For two years Zachariah did not talk to his wife. Then one day he
abruptly sent her back to her parents. The elders from her village tried
to reconcile the couple. "Your wife is a good wife to you. Let her
worship her God. She will not disturb you," they pleaded. But Zachariah
told them he would not have a Christian in his home.
Zachariah was determined to keep all Christians out of his village.
If an itinerant preacher tried to conduct a religious meeting in his
village, he sent his gang to disrupt the meeting and take their musical
instruments. He could not stand the sound of Christian music in his
Hindu community. Inevitably the Christian pastor would come to
request the return of the instruments, and Zachariah would threaten,
"The next time you try to hold meetings in this village, you will die."
For two years his wife remained in her parents' village. Then she
returned to Zachariah. He met her with these words, "If you enter this
house, one or the other of us will have to die. I will not permit your
religion in my village." He beat her severely and dragged her body into
the street.
Zachariah's wife survived. She fasted for three days and prayed that
God would change her husband's heart. When she tried to return
home, Zachariah beat her again. Then he
grabbed his knife and lifted it above his
head to kill her. Suddenly he saw a bright
light above her.
(continued next week)
J.
H. Zachary (left) is coordinator
of international evangelism for The
Quiet Hour and a special consultant
for the General Conference Ministerial
Association.
Produced by the Office of Mission
Sabbath School-Personal Ministries department of the General Conference
Email: gomission@gc.adventist.org
Lesson 11
*September 7-13
The Last Days of the
Northern Kingdom
Sabbath Afternoon
MEMORY TEXT: "Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my
commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I
commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the
prophets" (2 Kings 17:13).
T
HE FUNERAL MARCH FOR A NATION.
This week begins the
funeral march for the northern kingdom. Actually, the march
began near the beginning of this quarter, with Jeroboam making
the golden calves. Things pretty much went from bad to worse since.
Indeed, after a tragic history of a little more than two hundred years
(921-722 B.c.), Israel—born in a spirit of rebellion—ended under the
oppressive weight of the brutal and merciless Assyrians.
No wonder. Twenty kings, each ruling on an average of about ten
and a half years, sat upon Israel's throne. Seven had murdered their
predecessors in order to reach the top spot. All promoted an idolatrous
cult of Yahweh, while others added Baal and Asherah to their pantheon
of pagan abominations. From the tireless ministry of Elijah, Elisha, and
others, no one can say the people had not been warned. They had been,
more than once; they just did not listen.
THE WEEK AT A GLANCE: What happened in the reigns ofJehoahaz
and Jehoash? If people are not watchful, what can time, itself, do to
truth? What was the role of Elisha? How did Baal worship, so thor-
oughly eradicated by Jehu, creep back into the nation?
*Please study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 14.
88
Sunday
September 8
LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON, LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON,
LIKE FATHER, . . . (2 Kings 13:1-13).
"And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and followed
the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he
departed not therefrom" (2 Kings 13:2).
"And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord; he departed
not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin:
but he walked therein" (2 Kings 13:11).
T
hus reads the texts regarding the reign of Jehoahaz and the reign
of Jehoash. In short, they followed after Jehu, the founder of
their dynasty, who—though quite fanatical about eradicating
Baal worship—nevertheless clung to a particular home-grown version
of idolatry (2 Kings 10:31), thus continuing the downward spiritual
momentum that eventually destroyed the northern kingdom.
How could this happen?
Plato, in his
Republic,
helps give an answer. In this book, Socrates
recounts the "magnificent myth," a tale that would help the people
accept whatever their social status happens to be. The myth went like
this: When God created people, He created some with gold in them,
some with silver, and some with bronze. Those with gold were to be the
Guardians, the highest political and social level in the nation. Those
with silver would be the Auxiliaries, the next level. Finally, those with
bronze would be the lowest class. If the people believed this myth, he
said, they would be content with whatever their station was in life,
because it was ordained by God. When asked, "Do you know of any
way of making them believe it?" Socrates's response was one of the
most frightening, and insightful, in all ancient literature. "Not in the first
generation," he said, "but you might succeed in the second and later
generations."
In other words, give any lie or myth enough time, and
eventually
people will believe it.
How does this story from the
Republic
fit with today's lesson?
Israel's sin with the golden calf after the Exodus (Exodus 32)
was one of the worst spiritual moments in its history. However,
generations later, Jeroboam set up a whole cult around what
had been a terrible religious apostasy. How could something so
bad be deemed by later generations as something good? What
does that tell us about the power of time alone to dilute, or even
pervert, truth? What examples of this principle can we see today
in our own church, our own families, or even our own lives, and
what can we do to reverse it?
89
Monday
September 9
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF ELISHA (2 Kings 13:14-21).
I
magine being Elisha, called to the prophetic ministry during the
reign of Ahab and Jezebel, while his predecessor, Elijah, leaves
the scene in a chariot of fire (2 Kings 2).
Despite the terrible moral conditions of the nation and the many chal-
lenges he faced, Elisha stayed faithful to his calling: "Thus the man of God
continued to labor from year to year, drawing close to the people in faithful
ministry, and in times of crisis standing by the side of kings as a wise
counselor. The long years of idolatrous backsliding on the part of rulers
and people had wrought their baleful work; the dark shadow of apostasy
was still everywhere apparent, yet here and there were those who had
steadfastly refused to bow the knee to Baal. As Elisha continued his work
of reform, many were reclaimed from heathenism, and these learned to
rejoice in the service of the true God. The prophet was cheered by these
miracles of divine grace, and he was inspired with a great longing to reach
all who were honest in heart. Wherever he was he endeavored to be a
teacher of righteousness."—Ellen G. White,
Prophets and Kings,
p. 259.
Read 2 Kings 13:14-21. Joash, an idolatrous king, comes to weep
over dying Elisha? It was not a common event, that of a king coming to
visit a dying prophet. Why would he care about Elisha? Or did he?
Notice that he called him not only "my father" but the "chariot of
Israel, and the horsemen thereof." What, possibly, did he mean by
that? Keep in mind the context of the moment: Israel was being threat-
ened by the Syrians.
What does this scene indicate about the influence of Elisha, even on
those who apparently did not listen to him? What other examples exist
in the Bible of those who, while the prophets were alive, ignored or even
attacked them, only to hail and praise them after they were gone? Think,
for instance, of Moses and how Israel acted after he had died (see
Deuteronomy 34). Listen to these words of Jesus to the religious lead-
ers of His time: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres
of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we
would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets"
(Matt. 23:29, 30).
Have we, in our own lives, mocked or scorned or ignored someone
while he or she was around, only later—after this person is gone—
begun to realize just what a blessing he or she had been? In what
ways do we "garnish the sepulchres" of those we might have
stoned, had they been with us?
90
Tuesday
September 10
JEROBOAM
II (2 Kings 14:23-29).
A
fter the death of King Joash, Jeroboam II (as if one had not
been enough) ascended to the throne. He reigned for
what were, in many ways, 41 very prosperous years in which
the nation had both political and material success. As with his prede-
cessors, however, he "did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not
depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made
Israel sin" (vs. 24, NKJV).
Read 2 Kings 14:25-28. Notice the military success of Jeroboam II.
He took back land lost to foreign powers in the region. What reason
did the Lord allow them to have these successes? Vss. 26, 27.
It was about this time that both Hosea and Amos arose in the
northern kingdom to rail against the sins that were eating away at the
moral fabric of the nation and leading it to inevitable doom.
What were some of the evils
these prophets warned
against?
Hos. 4:1, 2
Hos. 6:10
Amos 2:6,7
Amos
3:10
Amos 4:1
Among the corruptions mentioned by the prophets, Hosea (2:8, 13,
17) mentions Baal worship. Where did that come from? Had great-
grandfather Jehu not eliminated that problem thoroughly after he took
the throne and killed the king and all his family, threw Jezebel's body
to the dogs, eradicated "all the worshippers of Baal" (2 Kings 10:21,
25), destroyed the temple of Baal, and turned it into a garbage dump?
The resurgence of Baal worship, however, should not be surprising.
Sin, by nature, is not self-restricting. Once the door is open to one sin,
others, often worse, easily follow.
Why is it that many people—through the indulgence of one "little
sin" (after all, worshiping Yahweh, even as a golden calf, is
"better" than worshiping Baal)—suddenly find themselves trapped
in things that are much worse?
91
Wednesday
September 11
"THEY HAVE SET UP KINGS, BUT NOT BY ME" (Hos. 8:4).
Read 2 Kings 15:8-31; 2 Kings 17:1-4.
W
hen Jeroboam II died, he was succeeded by his son Zechariah,
who "did evil in the sight of the Lord, . . . he did not depart
from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat" (2 Kings 15:9,
NKJV); unlike his father, however, who ruled for 41 years (14:23),
Zechariah was deposed within six months, thus ending Jehu's dynasty
(see 2 Kings 15:8, 12). He had been murdered in front of the people by
"Shallum the son of Jabesh" (vs. 10, NKJV), who then seized the throne
but before long was murdered by Menahem, who seized the throne and
reigned ten years in the northern kingdom (vs. 17).
Read 2 Kings 15:19, 20. What challenge did Menahem
face, and
how did he respond? Was he ultimately successful?
After the death of Menahem, Pekahiah, his son, took the throne, and
he "did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not depart from the sins of
Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin" (2 Kings 15:24,
NKJV). However, after two years, he was murdered and replaced on the
throne by Pekah (vs. 28, NKJV). He ruled about twelve years before he
was murdered and replaced by "Hoshea the son of Elah" (vs. 30, NKJV).
According to the text, Hoshea "did evil in the sight of the Lord,
but
not as the kings of Israel who were before him"
(2 Kings 17:2, NKJV,
emphasis supplied). The text does not specify what that different evil
was. In the end, it really does not matter; sin is still sin, whatever
version it manifests itself in.
What did Hoshea do to try to save his kingdom, and did
it
work? 2 Kings 17:4.
"This was Israel's suicide. Egypt had at the time broken up into a
number of unimportant rival states and was in no position to help
anyone. . . . No real aid could be expected from him [the king of Egypt],
and none came. In 724, Shalmaneser attacked. Hoshea, who apparently
appeared before his master hoping to make peace, was taken pris-
oner."—John Bright,
A History of Israel
(Philadelphia: Westminster
Press, 1981, third edition), p. 275.
Reviewing what you have studied of the northern kingdom this
quarter, if you could describe, in one or two sentences, what
caused its downfall, what would you write?
92
Thursday
September 12
THE END OF ISRAEL (2 Kings 17:5-23).
"And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with
thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the
gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among
them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have
made with them" (Deut. 31:16).
E
ven the most cursory reading of the history of Israel, the north-
ern kingdom, should reveal one simple point that, even today,
God's people seem to have a hard time grasping, and that is,
God
says what He means, and He means what He says.
Again and again the
Lord said, Repent, confess, forsake your evil ways, and I will forgive,
heal, and restore. " 'Seek Me and live"' (Amos 5:4, NKJV). "Seek good
and not evil, that you may live" (Amos 5:14, NKJV). "Come, and let us
return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal us" (Hos. 6:1,
NKJV). The problem was, however, that the people did not listen.
Read 2 Kings 17:5-17. Write down the specific sins that Israel had
committed:
Vs. 7
Vs. 8
Vs. 9
Vs.
10
Vs. 11
Vs. 12
Vs. 15
Vs. 16
Perhaps what is so amazing about these sins is that most are the
ones the Lord had, specifically, warned them about in Deuteronomy
(see Deut. 8:19, 20; 9:16; 12:2, 3, 30, 31; 29:17,18).
Notice how much of the evil came to Israel from outside influ-
ences.
Do we, either as a church or as individuals, have any reason
to think that we are any more immune to dangerous outside influ-
ences than they were?
93
Friday
September 13
FURTHER STUDY:
I
n
the terrible judgments brought upon the ten tribes the Lord had a
wise and merciful purpose. That which He could no longer do
through them in the land of their fathers He would seek to accom-
plish by scattering them among the heathen. His plan for the salvation of
all who should choose to avail themselves of pardon through the Sav-
iour of the human race must yet be fulfilled; and in the afflictions
brought upon Israel, He was preparing the way for His glory to be
revealed to the nations of earth. Not all who were carried captive were
impenitent. Among them were some who had remained true to God, and
others who had humbled themselves before Him. Through these, 'the
sons of the living God' (Hosea 1:10), He would bring multitudes in the
Assyrian realm to a knowledge of the attributes of His character and the
beneficence of His law."—Ellen G. White,
Prophets and Kings,
p. 292.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
Few of us today, even under the influence of the "pagans"
around us, are going to worship golden calves or set up "pil-
lars and wooden images on every high hill" (2 Kings 17:10,
NKJV) or cause our "sons and daughters to pass through the
fire" (vs. 17, NKJV). However, suppose the Israelite nation
were transplanted in your country, today, and fell away from
the Lord just as it had done in the eighth century
B.C.
in
Palestine. If you were to rewrite 2 Kings 17 (which describes
the sins that Israel fell into due to outside influences) in your
contemporary context, what would you write? What are some
of the prevalent practices and beliefs around us today that
parallel the practices that tempted and, eventually, overwhelmed
the Israelite nation?
2.
What is it about time itself that can have such a leavening effect
on truth? As the years pass while we wait for the Second Coming,
what can we do to protect ourselves, both individually and as a
church, against the potential dangers that time carries with it?
3.
Read 2 Kings 17:13. No matter how bad they were, time and
again the Lord pled with them to turn around, and He would
forgive. In fact, according to His promises (Deut. 4:27-29),
even after they had gone into captivity, if they repented, He
would forgive. What does this tell us about God's grace? How
can we apply that knowledge to ourselves in a way that can
help us avoid the same mistakes in our own cultural and
political context, wherever we live?
94
Would-Be Murderer Meets Christ, Part
2
J. H. Zachary
Zachariah hated Christians and wanted none in his village in eastern
India. When he discovered that his wife was a Christian, he sent her back
to her parents, but when she returned, Zachariah beat her.
After three days of fasting and prayer, she again tried to enter his
home. This time he beat her, then he grabbed his knife to kill her. But
before he could strike the fatal blow, he saw a bright light above her.
Suddenly he found himself lying on the floor, looking into the light.
He saw a person in the light, a person with a kind face. The Being
stood close to the fallen man and reached out as if to embrace
Zachariah.
Zachariah cried out, "Who are you?"
"I am the One you are fighting against," the Being answered.
Zachariah began to weep. When he opened his eyes, the light was
gone. Only he and his wife were in the room.
Zachariah testifies that "At that moment my whole life changed.
Anger drained from my body." The very next Sunday Zachariah was
in church. He went to the pastor whom he had so often mistreated and
asked forgiveness.
To his wife's great joy, Zachariah allowed her to remain in their
home. He began to pray with her, and after several weeks, he was
baptized.
Zachariah's family rejected him and tried to beat his wife. The
couple had to move to another village.
Zachariah met a Protestant pastor and began assisting him in
evangelistic outreach. Because he no longer could work in his family's
business, he became a full-time pastor. He has organized churches in
three villages that now have 160 members.
Then early in 2000, he met an Adventist Christian who pointed him
to the Bible Sabbath. Zachariah began studying the Bible with an
Adventist doctor who often visited his village. Zachariah and his wife
accepted the new Bible truths they discovered, and both were baptized.
Zachariah attended a training session for pastors who have con-
verted to the Adventist Church from other faiths. He now shares his
new Bible knowledge with his three churches in the hope that these
sincere Christians will follow the new light he has found.
The modern-day Saul-turned-Paul rejoices in God's love for His
erring people, even the most cruel and stubborn among them.
J. H. Zachary is coordinator of international evangelism for The
Quiet Hour and a special consultant for the General Conference
Ministerial Association.
Produced by the Office
of Mission
Sabbath School-Personal Ministries department of the General Conference
Email: gomission@gc.adventist.org
95
Lesson 12
*September 14-20
Manasseh and the Early
Days of Josiah
.z)
Sabbath Afternoon
MEMORY TEXT: "He [Josiah] did what was right in the eyes of the
Lord and walked in the ways of his father David, not turning aside to
the right or to the left" (2 Chronicles 34:2, NIV).
W
E LEFT OFF IN LESSON 9 WITH JUDAH,
in the
last days of King Hezekiah, whose nation faced the
Assyrian juggernaut, which had devastated their Israelite
"brothers" to the north. Fortunately, through the mighty intervention of
the Lord (see 2 Chron. 32:20-22), Jerusalem was spared, and the Assyrians
went home defeated. After that amazing victory, Hezekiah was some-
thing of a hero, "exalted in the sight of all nations thereafter"
(2 Chron. 32:23, NKJV). Apparently, though, like many of his successful
predecessors, Hezekiah did not deal well with wealth, power, and prestige,
none of which apparently did him much spiritual good (see 2 Chron. 32:27-
33; 2 Kings 20:12-19). This problem was manifested with particular clarity
during the visit of the Babylonian ambassadors. Unfortunately, as often
with kings, his spiritual faults had devastating consequences for his nation.
THE WEEK AT A GLANCE: After the death of Hezekiah, who took the
throne, and what were the sins this new king brought with him? What
events led to his repentance? How could the Lord forgive such evil?
What happened under the rule of Josiah? How did he respond to the
discovery of the book of the law? What does his reaction tell us today
about how important the Bible is to faith?
*Please study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 21.
96
Sunday
September 15
MANASSEH (2 Kings 21:1-17; 2 Chron. 33:1-9).
A
fter the death of Hezekiah, his son Manasseh took the throne.
He was twelve years old. He ruled for 55 years in Judah, one
of the longest reigns in the nation's history. To get an idea of
how long that was, think back (in whatever nation you live in): Who
was the leader in your land 55 years ago?
Perhaps one hint as to why Manasseh was so corrupted could be found in
his age. His father, Hezekiah, toward the end of his reign, was influenced
negatively by all this wealth, power, and prestige. Young Manasseh, raised
in the court of a father who was deviating from the Lord, most likely did not
have the best spiritual start himself. If that were the reason, it is a powerful
testimony to the importance of parental influence upon children.
Read through 2 Kings 21 and write down the list of evil things
Manasseh had done:
Vs. 2
Vs. 3
Vs. 4
Vs. 5
Vs. 6
Vs. 7
Vs. 9
Few kings have such a vile record as Manasseh. According to
ancient Jewish sources, Manasseh, to add to his sins, had Isaiah sawn
in half (perhaps the writer of Hebrews 11:37 is alluding to the time when
Isaiah talked about those faithful ones who "were sawn asunder").
Read carefully verses 2, 9, and 11 in 2 Kings 21. What does each
one of them have in common? When one considers the whole purpose
of the Hebrew nation, that of being a light to the world regarding the
true God, the texts become even more revealing. It is bad enough
following in the sins of the world around them. But to be doing even
worse
than the surrounding nations? What about ourselves, our own
lives, we who profess to be the spiritual heirs of Judah? If someone
were to write a spiritual history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church,
could they make the same charge against us?
97
Monday
September 16
MANASSEH'S PUNISHMENT (2 Chron. 33:10-17).
"And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they
would not hearken" (2 Chron. 33:10).
H
ow often those words have been, in one way or another, re-
peated, not just in the history of the Hebrew nation but all
through sacred history. From Eden down through the final de-
mise of Babylon, God has spoken; but people do not listen. What about
ourselves, either individually or as a church? Is God speaking to us? If
so, what is He saying? Is it much different than what He said to Eve, to
the inhabitants of the world in Noah's day, to Abraham, to Moses, to
Israel, to the ancient church, or to the church of the last days? Are we any
more prone to listen than those who have preceded us?
Write down what you think God's basic message to all people essen-
tially always has been, even if the particular circumstances have changed:
Eventually, because of the apostasy, the Lord punished Manasseh.
Read about what happened in 2 Chronicles 33:10-13. There are some
interesting historical records about this event too. The Assyrian
kings, Esarhaddon (681-669 B.c.) and Ashurbanipal (669-627? B.c.),
both list Manasseh among the kings of Western Asia who were their
vassals.
The SDA Bible Commentary
notes that "Assyrian reliefs
picture distinguished captives as being led away by hooks passed
through their lips or nostrils."—Vol. 3, p. 305:11, "Thorns" and
"Carried him to Babylon." (See Isa. 37:29; Amos 4:2.) Perhaps,
among those who were led away with hooks in their noses was King
Manasseh of Judah, ruler of God's chosen nation. No doubt, if he
were not prone to listen before, a hook in his nose would, if nothing
else, get his attention.
According to 2 Chronicles 33:12, it was in his affliction, that of
being taken away captive by the Assyrians, that Manasseh humbled
himself and repented of his sins. Often it takes the consequences
of our sins to bring us to our senses. Some would say, perhaps,
that it was only because he was suffering that he repented and
that if no punishment came he might have gone on in his evil ways
as before. How would you respond to that argument?
98
Tuesday
September 17
MANASSEH'S REPENTANCE.
"Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God" (2 Chron. 33:13,
NKJV).
p
erhaps the only thing more amazing than the human capacity for
evil is the Lord's capacity to forgive that evil. What is even more
amazing is not just that God
could
forgive our sins but that He
wants
to, that no matter what we or anyone have done, the Lord wants
to pardon, to heal, to restore us to Him and thus spare us the ultimate
and final consequence of sin, which is eternal destruction (2 Thess. 1:9;
Rom. 6:23).
If, at the Cross, Christ died for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2), that
included the sins of Manasseh, sins that were more than just making an
image of some animal and worshiping it. Besides sacrificing his sons
and burning them upon an altar, he shed "very much innocent blood, till
he had filled Jerusalem" (2 Kings 21:16, NKJV). Thus, in addition to
being an idolater, he was a murderer, as well.
Nevertheless, and regardless of the circumstances that brought his
repentance, Manasseh was forgiven (2 Chron. 33:13).
Look up the following verses and write down what they say that
helps us understand how (and why) God could forgive sins, even as bad
as the ones committed by Manasseh:
Isa.
53:5
Jer. 31:3
Rom. 3:22
Rom. 3:28
Gal. 3:13
Note: If
one were to read the story of Manasseh from 2 Kings 21
alone, one would have a radically different
view
of his end than one
would have who read the account in 2 Chronicles 33 alone. Neither
account contradicts the other, even though they appear to give oppo-
site conclusions. There is a good lesson here that can help us deal with
some of the hard stories in the Bible: If we had more information, many
of the things that seem so hard to understand would be made clearer.
Until then, it is important not to jump to rash conclusions about things
we do not understand. Instead, we need to rely on faith, trusting that
one day we will understand what now seems incomprehensible.
99
Wednesday
September 18
JOSIAH OF JUDAH (2 Chronicles 34).
A
fter the death of Manasseh, Ammon, his son, took the throne
for two years before being killed by his servants (2 Chron.
33:21-25). Ammon's son, Josiah, who was eight years old,
became ruler in Judah.
The text starts out saying that he did right in the sight of the Lord,
turning not aside to "the right hand or to the left" (2 Chron. 34:2, NKJV),
an interesting expression. Taking that same idiom and using it today,
could one not say that he was theologically neither too far to the left nor
too far to the right? Whatever the phrase exactly means, it suggests a
steady course, a right balance in his actions.
How old was Josiah when he started to "seek the God of his father
David"? Vs. 3, NKJV. What happened as a result? See verse 3.
Verses 3-7 describe some of the steps that Josiah took to eradicate
false worship. Not only did he tear down some of the idols and images,
he had them beaten into powder or broken down into dust.
Where, perhaps, did he get the idea for pulverizing the idols? See
Exodus 32:20. Was there any practical purpose for grinding them into
dust? Would a ruined heap not be enough? Or was there some symbol-
ism? If so, what? Hint: See Daniel 2:35.
Read in 2 Chronicles 34:8-28 the story of the workmen who found
"the Book of the Law of the Lord given by Moses" (vs. 14, NKJV) as
they were repairing the temple. More than likely, it was the book of
Deuteronomy (though scholars are not sure).
Look at Josiah's response after it had been read to him (vs. 19).
Why should he have been so upset? After all, this happened in the
eighteenth year of his reign (vs. 8), ten years after he started his
reforms, which included crushing to dust idols and cleansing both
Judah and Jerusalem.
The answer, perhaps, is seen in the words of the prophetess Huldah,
particularly in verses 23-25. What is she saying about the people? In
other words, though the king was attempting reforms, and there were
outward changes, the hearts of the people were still not right.
What does this story tell us about how important the Word of God is?
However much we might flatter ourselves that we are doing right, the only
true standard we have to know right from wrong, good from evil, obedi-
ence from sin, is the Word of God. Why is that so? See Heb. 4:12, 13.
100
Thursday
September 19
JOSIAH'S RULE (2 Kings 23).
T
his chapter puts another spin on the story of Josiah and the
reforms he instituted. In contrast to Chronicles, which mentions
reforms Josiah made
previous
to the discovery of the book of the
law, 2 Kings places all the reforms after. Both agree, however, that in the
eighteenth year of his reign the law was read to Josiah, so, more than
likely, he had begun the reforms mentioned in 2 Chronicles 34 even
before the great discovery of the law (a fact omitted in Kings). Once the
law was found, the revival and reformation began even more earnestly.
Why would any attempt to bring revival and reformation flounder
that did not lean heavily on the Bible? After all, how would people even
know what to reform, or why they need to revive, if they did not have the
Bible?
Though it is almost a litany by now, write down the things the
king attempted to do to restore true faith and worship to the nation and
ask yourself, again,
How could God's chosen nation have wandered
so far into apostasy?
2 Kings 23:4
Vs. 5
Vs. 6
Vs. 7
Vs. 10
Vs. 11
Vs. 12
Vs. 14
Vs. 15
Vs. 20
Look at 2 Kings 23:25. What is the key idea or word there that we
have seen earlier that, ultimately, separates the faithful from the
unfaithful?
101
Friday
September 20
FURTHER STUDY:
T
he writer of 2 Kings indicates that Manasseh provoked the
Lord "to anger" (2 Kings 21:6). After repeating the stipulations of
the covenant made with David (vss. 7, 8), the author says that
Manasseh not only ignored these conditions but had actually "se-
duced" the people "to do
more
evil than the nations whom the Lord had
destroyed" (vs. 9, NKJV). He did worse "than all the Amorites who were
before him" (vs. 11). Faithful followers of the Lord were dealt with
severely (2 Kings 21:16). The Jewish historian Josephus says that
Manasseh "barbarously slew all the righteous men that were among the
Hebrews; nor would he spare the prophets, for he every day slew some
of
them."—Antiquities of the Jews,
book X, p. iii.
"The long-lost manuscript was found in the temple by Hilkiah, the
high priest, while the building was undergoing extensive repairs in
harmony with King Josiah's plan for the preservation of the sacred
structure. The high priest handed the precious volume to Shaphan, a
learned scribe, who read it and then took it to the king with the story of
its discovery.
"Josiah was deeply stirred as he heard read for the first time the
exhortations and warnings recorded in this ancient manuscript. Never
before had he realized so fully the plainness with which God had set
before Israel 'life and death, blessing and cursing' (Deuteronomy 30:19);
and how repeatedly they had been urged to choose the way of life, that
they might become a praise in the earth, a blessing to all nations. 'Be
strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid,' Israel had been
exhorted through Moses; 'for the Lord thy God, He it is that doth go
with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.' Deuteronomy 31:6."
—Ellen G. White,
Prophets and Kings,
p. 393.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
Read 2 Kings 21:9. It says that Manasseh "seduced" the nation
to do evil. The Hebrew meaning is more along the lines of "to
cause to err." Yet, at the same time, the people were held
responsible for their deeds. Discuss what all this means about
accountability.
2.
If we believe that it is through faith in Jesus that we are
forgiven our sins, how is it that Manasseh, who lived long
before Jesus came, could have been forgiven? What does
his forgiveness tell us, if anything, about those who have
never heard of Jesus still having the possibility of salvation?
102
Help Me Find a Church
Kim* lives in Southeast Asia. She is a good student in school
and an active teenager. While she was a member of a popular
Christian church, she seldom attended worship services and did
not often read her Bible. Then one day she turned the dial on her
radio and found a program that interested her. The program, pro-
duced by Adventist World Radio, changed her life.
She could spend less than an hour a day listening to the radio,
but she took careful notes. She began reading her Bible again.
When she discovered the Sabbath, she determined to honor the
Lord's commandment to keep it holy.
However when she tried to share what she was learning with
her mother, Kim was met with strong opposition. Her mother
warned her that following a faith not approved by their govern-
ment can be dangerous. But Kim was determined to follow God's
commandments. When she decided to stop attending school or
studying on the Sabbath, her mother called her action insane.
Kim wrote to Adventist World Radio. "I have been blessed by
listening to your broadcast," she said. "You are helping me to
discover new horizons. Truly I believe that God loves me and
guided me to your radio broadcast.
"Thanks to your sermons, I now read the Bible often, something
that I did not do before. I also have discovered the fourth command-
ment, which I have never noticed before. From now on and through
God's power, I will keep the Sabbath day holy and look forward to
it every week. It is a day when I rejoice and communicate with the
Almighty God and study His Word. I have made up my mind to
worship God and obey His commandments. . . .
"I wish to worship with people of the same faith on the Sab-
bath. Please show me how to contact a Seventh-day Adventist
church in my city. Please help me quickly, because I am reading
the Bible alone on Sabbath.
"I want to advertise your radio broadcast and share God's Word
with my friends, but the people around me do not seem inter-
ested."
Millions in Southeast Asia do not know God. In many areas,
Adventist World Radio is the only pastor, the only teacher that can
reach them. Pray that many in Southeast Asia who are hungry to
hear of God's love will find what Kim has found through Adventist
World Radio.
*Not her real name. Adventist World
Radio's broadcasts reach
thousands in the Southeast Asia region.
Produced by the Office of Mission
Sabbath School-Personal Ministries department of the General Conference
Email: gomission@gc.adventist.org
Lesson 13
*September 21-27
The Curtain Falls on the
Southern Kingdom
Sabbath Afternoon
MEMORY VERSE: "And I will make an everlasting covenant with
them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will
put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me"
(Jeremiah 32:40).
A
ND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE."
"And now therefore
thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning this city,
whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of
Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; Behold, I
will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine
anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto
this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: And they shall be my
people, and I will be their God: And I will give them one heart, and one
way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their
children after them: And I will make an everlasting covenant with them,
that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear
in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me" (Jer. 32:36-40).
THE WEEK AT A GLANCE: What was the foundation of Josiah's re-
forms? How do they relate to what it means for our faith as Christians?
What ultimately happened to Josiah? Who ruled after him? What was
the basic message of the prophets to the nation? Is it any different than
their message to us today? Even after all their sin, all their rebellion, and
all their apostasy, what was God's message to. His people?
*Please study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 28.
104
Sunday
September 22
JOSIAH AND THE PASSOVER
(2 Chron. 35:1-19).
A
ccording to Josephus, a Jewish historian who lived in the first
century
A.D.,
Josiah was a man of most excellent disposition,
who was naturally virtuous and followed the actions of David
as a pattern in the whole conduct of his
life.—Antiquities,
book X,
p. iv, adapted. Though Josiah diligently and faithfully attempted to
reform Judah, Ellen White wrote that it was, nevertheless, clear to him
that Judah had little hope of escaping final destruction (see
Prophets
and Kings,
p. 398).
Read the account in 2 Chronicles 35 about the Passover. Did we
not read about another king who attempted to do the same in
Judah?
(See
2 Chronicles 30.) To review: What was it about the
Passover, and what the Passover symbolized, that made it so
crucial to a revival?
Josiah's attempted revival centered around two things (besides the
eradication of pagan practices): the law and the sanctuary service (the
temple itself). The sanctuary service, we understand, is basically a
model of the plan of salvation: the gospel of Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 2:8;
Heb. 4:2; Rev. 14:6). In short, what Josiah did was center his revival
around the law and the gospel, which are, really, the foundation of all
true faith and worship.
What is your understanding of the role of the law in the plan of
salvation?
See
Rom. 3:20; 7:7; James 2:10-12; 1 John 3:4.
What is your understanding of the role of the gospel, as fore-
shadowed in the sanctuary service and fulfilled in Jesus, in the plan of
salvation?
(See
Col. 1:14; Heb. 9:26; 10:10-12; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19.)
How do the law and the gospel complement each other?
Why, in light of the role of the law and the gospel, would any
attempt at reform that excludes one or the other be doomed to fail?
If the reforms ultimately did not spare the southern kingdom
from destruction, what was the purpose of them? If it were too
late for
the nation as
a whole, why bother with the reforms at all?
105
Monday
September 23
THE DEATH OF JOSIAH (2 Chron. 35:20-27; 36).
T
he story in Chronicles contains more details than does the
account in Kings regarding the death of Josiah in a battle
with Pharaoh Necho of Egypt. Necho was allied with Assyria
against the Babylonians, who were expanding toward the west and would
soon become a threat to Egypt itself. Judah found itself caught geographi-
cally between Babylon and Egypt. According to Jeremiah, a strong pro-
Egyptian party arose in Palestine. The struggles between this party and
the pro-Babylonian party would eventually tear Judean society apart and
lead to the capture and destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians.
Read the account of Josiah's death in the battle against Egyptian
forces (608 B.c.) in 2 Chronicles 35:20-24. Why would a good king,
one who attempted to restore true faith and worship in Judah, face such
an untimely death? Or was it really untimely? See 2 Chronicles
34:28. How does that single verse help us understand Josiah's fate?
During the reign of Josiah, the political and military situation of the
region was drastically changing. The mighty Assyrian nation to the
north, who, about a hundred years earlier, overran and ended the
Israelite nation, was crumbling, a situation that could have, at least for
a while, made it easier for Josiah to attempt his reforms in Judah. At the
same time, however, as Assyria crumbled, the Babylonians were rising
in power. This, of course, is the Babylon that eventually destroyed the
southern kingdom and took many of its elite into captivity and formed
the background for the book of Daniel.
After the death of Josiah, it was not long before the curtain fell on
the nation. Four kings came after him:
1.
Jehoahaz (2 Chron. 36:2, 3)
2.
Eliakin (2 Chron. 36:4-8)
3.
Jehoiachin (2 Chron. 36: 9, 10)
4.
Zedekiah (2 Chron. 36:11-14)
The texts regarding them speak for themselves.
Read 2 Chronicles 36, which in one chapter describes the final
days of Judah and the end of the first temple period. Write down in a
short paragraph what major spiritual lesson we can learn from
the demise of Judah.
106
Tuesday
September 24
A MERCIFUL GOD, A REBELLIOUS CREATION.
"And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers,
rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his
people, and on his dwelling place: But they mocked the messengers of
God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath
of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy"
(2 Chron. 36:15, 16).
p
erhaps some of the saddest verses in all the Bible are the two
quoted here. In many ways, they capture not only the story of the
southern kingdom but the story of the entire great-controversy
drama, beginning with Lucifer in heaven and ending with the demise of
this present world.
Read what Ellen White wrote about the earliest stages of the great
controversy, even before it reached earth: "God in his great mercy bore
long with Lucifer. He was not immediately degraded from his exalted
station when he first indulged the spirit of discontent, nor even when
he began to present his false claims before the loyal angels. Long was
he retained in heaven. Again and again he was offered pardon, on
condition of repentance and submission. Such efforts as only infinite
love and wisdom could devise were made to convince him of his error.
The spirit of discontent had never before been known in heaven."
—The Great Controversy,
pp. 495, 496.
Notice the principle: the Creator pleading, offering pardon and for-
giveness to the creature, who spurns that offer. How often this scenario
has been repeated here on earth, as well.
Write down other examples from the Bible of this same prin-
ciple: God pleading with His people to repent, to obey, to accept
pardon, and the people mocking or rejecting Him. Write down,
too (where the information is given), how much time God spent trying
to get the people to listen. It is the same thing, over and over again, even
if the specific conditions change. Are things any different today?
Sample: Cain rejecting God's pleas to obey in Genesis 4.
107
Wednesday
September 25
"EAT YE WHAT IS GOOD."
"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that
bath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and
milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend
money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which
satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is
good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness" (Isa. 55:1, 2).
What is the milk, the wine, the bread, that God offers without price?
What are the good things that God is calling everyone to eat? Why is it
"without price"? What does that mean?
H
owever sad Judah's fate, the Lord never stopped pleading
with them, as a nation or as individuals. Isaiah, who minis-
tered during the rule of "Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah,
kings of Judah" (Isa. 1:1), uttered the most eloquent pleas for the
people to turn away from the useless, vain, and empty things that were
leading to their destruction.
His words in 55:1, 2 capture the essence of that message: Why
struggle and work so hard for what, in the end, cannot satisfy you,
cannot meet your most basic needs? Only the Lord can meet all those
needs, and He can do that only to the extent that we allow Him to. Thus,
whether you are living in seventh-century (B.c.) Judah or twenty-first-
century Argentina or France or Zaire, the basic issue between human-
ity and their Creator remains the same.
Look up the following verses, all from Isaiah (30:7; 41:29; 52:3;
44:9; 57:13; 59:4) and then write down the essence of their message,
the common theme in these verses:
No matter how different our circumstances from Judah's, we face
the same issue: Whom do we serve? Is it the living God who alone can
satisfy our needs, or do we serve the vain, empty, useless things, the
things of wind, confusion, and vanity? The answer, of course, is obvious,
but it probably would have seemed obvious to the people living back
then too. Knowing the right answer is not the hard part; the hard part
is acting upon it. Why is that so? Look at your own life. How might the
words of Isaiah 55:1, 2 apply to you? If you think they do not, at least, to
some degree, more than likely you are kidding yourself.
108
Thursday
September 26
"THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE, AND I WILL BE THEIR
GOD" (Jer. 32:38).
W
hen the Romans hung Jesus on the cross, He prayed,
"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do"
(Luke 23:34). In other words, despite all that these people
had done, despising His words, rejecting His teachings, mocking His
messengers, and now finally crucifying Him, the Lord's desire was for
only one thing: that even these sinners, despite their sins, be forgiven.
Over the centuries, some commentators have claimed that the God of
the New Testament, the God who reveals Himself to us in the person of
Jesus Christ, is different; that is, kinder, more loving, more forgiving than
"the scowling, complaining, and threatening God of the Old Testament."
However, when one reads texts such as Jeremiah 32:36-44, a view of
the same compassionate God appears here in the Old Testament, as
well. Here is the same God who sought forgiveness for His assailants
while He hung on the cross.
Read Jeremiah 32:36-42. What is the Lord saying to His people?
Write down the specific promises. In what
ways
can you see the charac-
ter of Christ represented in these words?
Vs. 37
Vs. 38
Vs. 39
Vss. 40, 41
How amazing: After thirteen weeks of reading about one king after
another who "did evil in the sight of the Lord" or about a people who
followed one abomination after another, despising God's words, rejecting
His teachings, mocking His messengers, we now read these verses in
which the God whose words were despised, teachings rejected, and
messengers mocked still offers promises of hope, restoration, and heal-
ing to the nation that did the despising, the mocking, and the rejecting.
Then, again, all we have to do is look at Jesus, at His willingness to
heal, to forgive, and to restore those who, however undeserving, are
willing to accept what He offers, and suddenly it all makes better sense.
Thus, in many ways, the message of Kings and Chronicles is not so
much about the apostasy and sins of God's people but about the
compassion, forgiveness, and mercy of a God who loves us despite our
sins, a God who loves us so much He cannot keep silent about our sins,
which do so much damage to those whom, indeed, He does love.
109
Friday
September 27
FURTHER STUDY:
T
he battle of Carchemish was the turning point for the Babylonians
when Nebuchadnezzar defeated Necho in 605
B.C.
The book of
Jeremiah outlines the play and counterplay of the pro- and anti-
Egyptian forces within Judah. Jeremiah, instructed by the Lord, clearly
told the people that Babylon would be victorious and that Egypt would
not save them (Jer. 2:36).
The final years of Judah record continual apostasy and internal
political fighting that ultimately led to the Babylonian captivity.
Read
The SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 2, pp. 89-99, for more
information on these years.
"The first years of Jehoiakim's reign were filled with warnings of
approaching doom. The word of the Lord spoken by the prophets was
about to be fulfilled. The Assyrian power to the northward, long su-
preme, was no longer to rule the nations. Egypt on the south, in whose
power the king of Judah was vainly placing his trust, was soon to
receive a decided check. All unexpectedly a new world power, the
Babylonian Empire, was rising to the eastward and swiftly overshadow-
ing all other nations."—Ellen G. White,
Prophets and Kings,
p. 422.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
After all these weeks of studying Kings and Chronicles, what
comes through the clearest regarding the message that God
has for us with these accounts of the history of the Hebrew
nation from the days of Solomon until the Babylonian captivity?
In other words, why did the Lord have this history recorded,
preserved, and placed in the Bible?
2.
Notice this point: Early on in the Kings-Chronicles saga, the
temple plays an important role. Almost all that is recorded of
the early reign of Solomon in both Kings and Chronicles deals
with his building and
dedication
of the temple. However,
notice, too, that the end of the saga talks about the
destruc-
tion
of the temple (2 Chron. 36:18, 19; 2 Kings 25:9-15).
How interesting that these books would be capped on both
ends with the temple. Thus, the saga begins with the dedica-
tion of the temple and ends with its destruction. What sig-
nificance do you see in these facts, and what could they
say
to us, today, whose faith is intricately tied up with the
ministry and temple that exists in heaven? (see Heb. 8:1-6).
110
One Foot
on Ship and One on Shore
Barbara Trecartin
Robin Willison, ADRA South Sudan's program director, was
on his way by ship from Britain to Australia. When the ship
stopped in the Canary Islands, the captain announced that the
passengers could leave the ship and tour the island. But they must
return at a given time.
The captain said, "When you hear a long blast from the ship's
horn, you have only one hour to return to the ship. One half hour
later you will hear two blasts. If you are not already on the ship,
you better start running. The ship will leave promptly, and there is
no way to know who has not returned."
The passengers streamed down the gangplank. At the appointed
hour, a single long blast echoed across the island. Willison made
his way toward the dock. Thirty minutes later he heard two horn
blasts. He hurried toward the gangplank with the other passengers.
He joined the other passengers crowded along the ship's rail. The
ship's deck trembled as the huge engines roared to life. The crew
hauled in the lines that had held the ship in place. Only the gang-
plank remained to be taken up.
Suddenly they saw in the distance a horse-drawn carriage racing
toward the dock. A man jumped from the carriage and started
running. He reached the gangplank and placed one foot firmly on it
and the other on the shore, hoping to prevent the ship from sailing.
The man looked frantic as the ship began to swing slowly away
from shore, and the space between the gangplank and land wid-
ened. But he kept his feet planted. Some folks on shore pulled him
off the gangplank just in time to prevent an unplanned swim.
They called to the family to get into a small boat anchored
nearby. The tiny boat sped across the water to catch up with the
ship. It maneuvered around the side to where a door opened just
above sea level, and the family managed to board the ship.
Willison finished his story by saying, "That man was the first
Seventh-day Adventist I ever met. Later we studied the Bible
together, and I joined the Adventist Church. But whenever I think
about this event, I wonder how many of us are still trying to keep
one foot on this earth and the other on the ladder to heaven!"
When she wrote this, Barbara Trecartin was the administrative
assistant for ADRA South Sudan and lived in Nairobi, Kenya. She and her
husband have since returned to the United States.
Produced by the Office
of Mission
Sabbath
School-Personal Ministries department of the General Conference
Email: gomission@gc.adventistorg
Bible Study Guide for Fourth Quarter, 2002
We will look at
Living the Advent Hope—the
hope explicit in the
promise of Christ's coming in the clouds of glory. This quarter's set
of lessons, written by Jonathan Gallagher, will not so much be a
doctrinal study as a realistic and experiential look at how we put this
hope into practice.
Lesson 1: The Need for Hope
THE WEEK AT A GLANCE:
Sunday:
The Creation.
Monday:
The Fall.
Tuesday:
Crushing the Head.
Wednesday:
The Essence of Hope.
Thursday:
False Hopes.
MEMORY TEXT:
Genesis 3:15.
SABBATH GEM:
Hope is as fundamental an aspect of the human
condition as is breath. Our great hope points us not only to this new
creation but to the promise—made certain through the atoning
death of Jesus—that we, ourselves, will be part of it.
Lesson 2: Old Testament Hope
THE WEEK AT A GLANCE:
Sunday:
Hope Amid the Deluge.
Monday:
Hope and the Nations.
Tuesday:
The Hebrew Hope.
Wednesday:
The Messianic Hope.
Thursday:
Jesus and the Old Testament Hope.
MEMORY TEXT:
Psalm 78:7.
SABBATH GEM:
This week's lesson looks at various examples of
hope expressed in the lives and in the experiences of those who are
present in the Old Testament.
Lessons for
the
Visually Impaired
The regular Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide is available
free each month in braille and on audiocassette for visually impaired
and physically handicapped persons who cannot read normal ink print.
This includes individuals who because of arthritis, multiple sclerosis,
paralysis, accident, old age, and so forth cannot hold or focus on
normal ink-print publications. Contact the Christian Record Services,
Box 6097, Lincoln, NE 68506-0097.
112
THE SABBATH SCHOOL BIBLE STUDY COMPANION
.A HISTORY OF DIVIDED MONARCHY
The story of God's people
during the nearly 400 years
when kings ruled the nation
of Israel was not always
pleasant. There is nothing
pleasant about sin, compro-
mise, rebellion, and apostasy.
Nevertheless, plenty remains
to be learned from the Bible, both from the good events and from the bad,
about God's mercy and goodness.
Greg King's
Kings and Chronicles
begins in the days of Solomon—his
humble beginnings and his disappointing wanderings—and ends in the
Babylonian exile. Through these pages we watch much more than the split-
ting of a nation. We observe the ingredients of greatness and depravity
through the lives and messages of the Israeli kings and prophets.
It is incredible history, not just for the drama but for the lessons that
we, the spiritual heirs of these people, can learn from those who are,
indeed, our ancestors, in both spirit and in truth.
0-8163-1918-9. Paperback. US$9.99, Cdn$15.49.
Pacific Press®
Where the WORD Is 1.11
2002 • PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE • 142/25590
Available at your local ABC,
1-800-765-6955.
Or read a sample chapter
first and order online:
www.AdventistBookCenter.com
Book
FoR3
RD
Quarter,
2002